OJDEMIA.] AVES NATATORES. 239 



same colours intimately mixed: bill as in the female." Faun. Bor. Am. 

 (Egg.) Greenish yellow white : long. diam. two inches nine lines ; trans. 

 diam. one inch nine lines. 



A native of high northern latitudes, but met with occasionally in small 

 numbers in some of the Scotch Islands. Mr Bullock is stated by Mon- 

 tagu to have found it breeding in Papa Westra, one of the Orkneys, in 

 the latter end of June. The nest was on a rock impending the sea. Eggs 

 six in number, covered, as in the case of the last species, with the down 

 of the female. Very rare on the English coast, but has been killed at 

 Aldborough in Suffolk. 



GEN. 95. OIDEMIA, Flem. 



249. O. fusca, Flem. (Velvet Scoter.) Black; a white 

 speculum on the wings : legs red. 



Anas fusca, Temm. Man. a" Orn. torn. n. p. 854. Velvet Duck, 

 Mont. Orn. Diet. Bew. Brit. Birds, vol.n. p. 320. Velvet Scoter, 

 Selb. Illust. vol. n. p. 333. pi. 67. (Trachea,) Linn. Trans, vol. xvi. 

 pi. 21. f.2,&3. 



DIMENS. Entire length twenty-three inches : length of the bill (from 

 the forehead) one inch eight lines, (from the gape) two inches seven 

 lines ; of the tarsus one inch nine lines ; of the tail three inches ten 

 lines ; from the carpus to the end of the wing ten inches ten lines. 



DESCRIPT. (Male.) A small crescent-shaped spot beneath the eyes, 

 and speculum on the wings, white; all the rest of the plumage deep 

 velvet-black : bill orange ; a protuberance at the base, nostrils, and mar- 

 gins of both mandibles, black: legs and toes scarlet-red; membranes 

 black. (Female.) Similar to the male, but smaller, with the upper 

 plumage more inclining to brown ; under parts gray, spotted and streaked 

 with dusky brown ; between the bill and the eye, and on the orifice of the 

 ears, a grayish white spot : bill blackish brown ; slightly inflated at the 

 base : legs and toes dull red. (Egg.) Buff-colour: long. diam. two inches 

 ten lines ; trans, diam. one inch ten lines. 



A periodical winter visitant, but not very numerous in the southern 

 parts of the country. Frequents the sea-coast, and is very rarely observed 

 inland. Breeds, according to Temminck, in the Arctic Regions, and lays 

 from eight to ten eggs. Dives well in search of its food, which consists 

 principally of bivalve mollusca. 



250. O. nigra, Flem. (Black Scoter.) The whole 

 plumage black ; no speculum on the wings : legs dusky 



Anas nigra, Temm. Man. d"Orn. torn. n. p. 856. Scoter, Mont. 

 Orn. Diet. Bew. Brit. Birds, vol. n. p. 322. Black Scoter, 

 Selb. Illust. vol. n. p. 329. pi. 68. 



DIMENS. Entire length eighteen inches : length of the bill (from the 

 forehead) one inch eight lines, (from the gape) two inches ; of the tarsus 

 one inch nine lines ; of the tail three inches four lines ; from the carpus 

 to the end of the wing eight inches nine lines : breadth, wings extended, 

 two feet nine inches. (Female.) 



DESCRIPT. (Male.) The whole plumage, without exception, deep 

 velvet-black, with glossy reflections : bill, and a globular protuberance at 

 the base, black; the latter divided longitudinally by a mesial band of 



