ANATIDA—DUCKS. art 
VELVET SCOTER. 
GEdemia fusca (Zznm.). 
Adult Male: A sfot behind the eye and wing-speculum pure 
white, otherwise glossy black above, rather browner beneath ; 
bill chiefly orange, black on the nostrils and tubercles, also 
round margin of upper mandible ; legs and feet dull orange, 
brownish on webs ; irides pale brown. Length about 22 inches ; 
culmen 1°4; wing 10°7; tail 3°5 ; tarsus 1°75. 
Adult Female : Browner above than the male; beneath 
grey, spotted and streaked with brown ; wings as in male; on 
the lores and above the ear-coverts a greyish-white patch ; bill 
dark brown ; legs and feet duller red than in male. 
Young in first plumage: Resemble adult female, but 
males are generally darker and show scarcely anything of the 
light face patches. 
Distribution : Breeds in the northern portions of the 
Palearctic region, though not so far north as O. nigra. Occurs 
on migration as far south as the Mediterranean. 
Habitat: Like the Common Scoter, frequents the sea-coast 
in winter, returning inland to breed. 
Genus ERISMATURA. 
WHITE-HEADED DUCK. 
Erismatura leucocephala (Scof.). 
Adult Male: Head white, except centre of crown, which 
with back of neck below the nape are d/ack ; remainder of the 
plumage ferruginous-brown, freckled with pale brown and dusky, 
darkest on fore part of chest and upper tail-coverts ; abdomen 
dirty white ; tail and legs black ; d2// dlue-grey, without a spot ; 
irides brown. Length 17 to 18 inches; culmen 1°8; wing 6 
to 6°25; tail 4°45 tarsus 1°3. 
Adult Female: The white on the head restricted to the 
chin and upper throat and a stripe passing below the eye; 
plumage generally darker and much more rufous. 
Young: With still less white on the head. Plumage 
generally brownish-black ; bill and feet bluish-black. 
ReZ 
