ANSERES. 



( 127 ) 



ANATID^?. 



THE VELVET SCOTER 



WHITE- WINGED BLACK DUCK, GREAT BLACK DUCK, 

 DOUBLE SCOTER. 



(Edemia fusca. 



I gaze upon the stormy, troubled ocean, 



I hear her crested waves, 

 Waking, as they roll with restless motion, 



The echoes of her caves. 



WALTER CHISHOLM. 



THIS species, which can easily be distinguished from the 

 Common Scoter, by its larger size and the white bar across 

 its wing, is occasionally seen off the coast of Berwickshire in 

 the autumn, winter, and spring months, but is rarely observed 

 in the interior of the county. Mr. Peter Cowe, Lochton, has 

 informed me that a specimen was shot on the sea near Dow- 

 law, in the parish of Coldingham, in 1860. A flock of ten 

 Velvet Scoters was observed by the gamekeeper at Duns 

 Castle, on the lake there, on the 7th of January 1886 ; and 

 Mr. Hay of Duns kindly wrote to me on the 18th of April 

 following that two were to be seen on the lake at the date 

 of his letter. 



