454 COMMON SCOTER. 



for a little way up the Mediterranean, but it is very rare on the 

 shores of Provence and Italy. On the inland waters of the Conti- 

 nent it is far less frequent than the Velvet-Scoter, but an important 

 line of migration appears to run along the valley of the Volga 

 to the Caspian (where it is abundant), and Canon Tristram found it 

 on the coast of Palestine in winter. Throughout North America the 

 representative is a closely-allied species, CE. ainericaua, in which 

 the entire protuberance at the base of the bill is orange-yellow ; 

 and this form ranges across the Pacific to the northern shores of 

 Asia, visiting Japan in winter. 



The nest, usually placed on an island in a fresh-water lake or among 

 the heather and bogs in the vicinity, is composed of grass and moss 

 with a lining of down ; the eggs, laid during the first half of June, 

 are 6-9 in number, and yellowish-white in colour : average measure- 

 ments 2*5 by I "8 in. The food consists chiefly of molluscs, which 

 the bird obtains by diving, and it generally approaches the shore 

 with each flood-tide for the purpose of satisfying its appetite ; its 

 flesh is oily and seldom eaten in this country. Like the rest of 

 the genus, the Common Scoter dives well, and remains a con- 

 siderable time under water. The call-note of the male during the 

 breeding-season is rendered by Faber as iu-tu-tu in, the female re- 

 sponding with a harsh re-re-re-re-7-e. 



The adult male has the central ridge of the upper mandible 

 orange, and the rest of the bill black ; irides dark hazel ; upper 

 plumage deep glossy-black, under surface duller; legs, toes and 

 webs black. Length 20 in. ; wing 9 in. The female has the upper 

 parts dull blackish- brown, the margins of the wing-coverts a little 

 lighter; chin dirty white; cheeks and sides of the neck greyish- 

 brown ; lower part of the neck, breast, abdomen, vent and under 

 tail-coverts dark brown ; legs and toes dusky-olive ; webs 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, while the under surface of the body is mottled with 

 white and brown. 



Without special reference to the Scoter, advantage may be taken of 

 a little available space to remark upon the perceptible increase that 

 has taken place in the numbers of the various species of Ducks 

 which breed in the British Islands, since the passing of the Wild Fowl 

 Protection Act in 1S76. This is particularly noticeable in those 

 suitable for the table. 



