COMMON SCOTER. 



475 



lu the female all the upper surface of the body is of a 

 uniform blackish-brown, the margins of the wing-coverts a 

 little lighter ; cheeks, and sides of the neck paler browai ; 

 lower part of the neck, the breast, abdomen, vent, and 

 under tail-coverts, dark brown ; legs and toes brown, tinged 

 with green : the interdigital membranes almost black. 



Young birds of the year, at the approach of their 'first 

 winter, have the cheeks, chin, sides and front of the neck, 

 dull greyish-white, and the under surface of the body mottled 

 with white and brown. 



The downy nestling has the upper parts unspotted umber- 

 brown ; chin white ; cheeks greyish ; under parts greyish- 

 brown, with a dark pectoral band. 



The trachea of the male Scoter contrasts with that of the 

 male of any other species among the Ducks, in having no 

 bony enlargement ; while it only differs from that of the 

 female in having the principal tube, as well as the bronchial 

 tubes, rather larger. Portions of both are figured below. 



