DUCKS. 417 



navia. Egg the size of that of the common wild duck, but 

 of a deeper brown. 



The ferruginous duck (F. Nyroca, Steph.), the white- 

 headed duck (F. Mersa, Degl.), and the red- crested pochard 

 (F. Rufina, Steph.) have been accidentally killed in Den- 

 mark, but not one of the Fuligula, except the eider duck, 

 breeds in that country. 



Subgen. 2. Oidemidj Flem. 



Beak large and broad (in the male swollen at the 

 root) ; nail very large, covers the whole point of the beak ; 

 lamellae coarse ; nostrils not so far as the middle of the beak. 



269. OIDEMIA FUSCA, Steph. Sjb Orre. The Velvet Scoter. 



D. F. 



Wing speculum white ; legs and toes red ; whole 

 body plumage in male black, in female brown ; eye 

 white. Length 23 in. ; tail 3 in. 2 1. ; beak 2 in. long, 

 1 in 21. broad ; tarsus 1 in. 6 1. ; middle toe 3 in. 2 1.; 

 beak yellow on the sides in the male, but altogether 

 brown in the female. 



Breeds only on the Lap fells. I could never find the nest 

 of this species in Quickiock, Lapland, although I often 

 saw them in the breeding season. Contrary to the habits 

 of the common scoter, this duck leaves the lowlands to 

 breed high up on the fell lakes. The egg is very like that 

 of the common scoter, but more ivory white and larger, 

 2-J in. by 2 in. 



It receives its Swedish name from the white wing specu- 

 lum, as in the f{ orre " or black cock. 



270. 0. NIGRA, Steph. Svarta. The Common Scoter. D. F. 



No wing speculum ; beak in male black, yellow only 

 on the top ; in female brown ; male body coLour all 

 black ; female all brown ; head in male with a purple 

 tinge; eye brown. Length 21 in.; wings short, reach 

 scarcely over the tail root ; tail 4 in. ; beak from fore- 

 head 2 in., i in. broad ; tarsus If in. 

 Is certainly not so rare as the last in Scandinavia. We 



27 



