98 OUR MIGRANT BIRDS 



COMMON OR BLACK SCOTER ((Edemia nigra). 



A common winter visitor to most of our coast-lines ; 

 as a breeding species it is rare, nesting sparingly in the 

 extreme north of Scotland, Its proper breeding 

 stations are much further north. 



Haunts. — The sea. 



Plumage. — Black, glossy above, but duller below. 

 Bill and protuberance black ; central ridge of upper 

 mandible orange-yellow. Legs and feet black. Length 

 20 in. Female : sooty black above, dark brown below ; 

 no protuberance or orange-yellow ridge on upper man- 

 dible. Young, like female, but under parts mottled 

 with brown and white. 



Language. — Male's call-note resembling " tiii-tiii-tiii- 

 tiii." Female utters a harsh, grating " re-re-re-re-re." 



Habits. — The most marine of all Ducks, feeding in 

 deep water. It is an expert diver, and remains under 

 the water for forty or fifty seconds at a time. Gregarious. 

 Flight rapid, and near the surface of the sea. 



Food. — Mollusca and Crustacea chiefly. 



Nest. — June. One brood. 



Site. — On some islet, among coarse herbage, &c. 



Materials. — Grass, twigs, leaves, and moss, lined 

 with down resembling the Mallard's, but darker. 



Eggs. — Six to nine. Pale greyish buff. 



VELVET SCOTER ((Edemia fusca). 



A much less common winter visitor than the last. 

 Although essentially marine in habits, it has been 

 observed more commonly on inland fresh-water lakes, &c.. 



