AIS^ATID.E. 41 



Female. Brown ; feathers on back marked with dark brown. Length 

 24 inches. 



232. Common Eidee. Somateria moUissima (Linnaeus). Eesident 

 from Coquet Island northwards. Not breeding on Irish coasts. 



Central line of feathers on upper mandible only reaching halfway to 

 nostrils. 



Male. Crown of head black ; nape green ; scapulars and inner secon- 

 daries white. 



Female. As in King Eider, but darker. Length 25 inches. 



233. Scoter, or Black Duck. (Edemia nigra (Linnaeus). Chiefly 

 autumn to spring, but a few breed in north of Scotland. 



Adult male. Entireh/ hlach ; bill black, with centre of upper man- 

 dible yellow, and a knob at the base. 



Female. Sooty brown ; chin and throat \\hitish ; side of head greyish 

 white ; bill without knob. 



Youwj. Cheeks, chin, sides, and front of neck dull greyish white ; 

 belly speckled with brown and white. Length 21 inches. 



234. Velvet Scoter. (Edemia fusca (Linnaeus). Autumn to spring. 



Adidt male. Velvet-black, except the large wing-spot, eyelid, and patch 

 below eye, which are white ; iris yellowish white. 



Female. Blackish brown, but with ivliite wing-spot. Length 21 

 inches. 



235. Surf-Scoter. (Edemia perspidllata (Linnaeus). Autumn to N. America. 

 spring. 



Adult male. Black ; ivliite patch on nape and white patch on fore- 

 head ; legs and feet orange-red. 



Female. Brownish black ; white patch only on nape. Length 21 

 inches. 



The following — Mergansers, or " Saw-bills " — have the bill slender and 

 straight, its edges with strong saw-like teeth pointing backwards. 



236. Goosander. Mergus merganser, Linna)us. Chiefly on fresh 

 water from autumn to spring, but a few breed in Scotland. 



Male. Head and upper neck glossy metallic black, slightly crested ; 

 lower neck and underparts white ; rump and tail aslig greg ; bill blood- 

 red, and, as in next two, longer than head; iris red. 



Female. Head and upper neck light chestnut, crested ; above slate- 

 grey; below white ; wing-spot white. 



Young. Like female, but without crest. Length 26 inches. 



237. Eed-breasted Merganser. Mergus serrator, Linnteus. Eesident 

 in Scotland and Ireland ; elsewhere from autumn to spring. 



Male. Head and neck glossy metallic black ; crest of narrow elon- 

 gated black feathers ; white collar on neck, showing much when flying ; 



