THE BIRDS OF DEVONSHIRE. 107 



EIDER DUCK. — Somateria moUis^sima (Linn). 



An occasional wicter visitant. Montagu obtained 

 an Eider Duck on the Devonshire coast in 1807. 

 Dr. Moore vouches for another obtained near 

 Plymouth in 1 830. Mr. Brooking Rowe writes in 

 1863 ; '' Scarce, but specimens have been obtained 

 from time to time." Baron A. von Hiigel records 

 a female shot in Torbay in the winter of 1866, 

 remarking that the Eider is " a very rare visitant to 

 our coast " (Zool. 1874. p. 3908). 



KING mj)^^.— Somateria specfabiiis (Linn). 



A VERY rare visitant. " I learn from Mr. Gatcombe," 

 wrote Mr. J. H. Gurney in 1876, " that a King 

 Duck was killed at Plymouth some years ago, and 

 seen in the flesh by him at a birdstuffer's named 

 Mutton " (Zool. 1876, p. 4803). " Mr. Gatcombe," 

 adds Mr. H. Saunders, " states that some years ago 

 he saw an immature bird in Plymouth Market '' 

 (Yarrell iv. p. 464). The Editor believes that 

 Mr. Gatcombe enjoyed the distinction of being the 

 only ornithologist who has had the good fortune to 

 detect the presence of the King Eider m Lcadenhall 

 Market. There can be no doubt at all, that he knew 

 the species intimately. 



COMMON SCOTER.— ffi'^ewia nigra (Linn.) 



A COMMON winter visitant on our south coast, 

 generally numerous at sea and in our estuaries, 



