ANATID.E. 41 



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

 24 inches. 

 > 



~ 232. COMMON EIDER. Somateria mollissima (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. 



Sfc 233. SCOTER, or BLACK DUCK. (Edemia nigra (Linnaeus). Chiefly 

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



Adult male. Entirely black ; bill black, with centre of tipper man- 

 dible yellow, and a knob at the base. 



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

 white ; bill without knob. 



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

 belly speckled with brown and white. Length 21 inches. 



5 234. VELVET SCOTER. (Edemia fusca (Linna3us). Autumn to spring. 



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

 below eye, which are white ; iris yellowish white. 



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

 inches. 



* 235. SURF-SCOTER. (Edemia perspicillata (Linnaeus). Autumn to N. America, 

 /spring. /? / 



Adult male. Black ; white patch on nape and white patch on fore- <J f 

 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, Linnaeus. 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 ashy grey ; 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, Linnaeus. 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 ; 



