DUCKS 215 



from the singularly handsome and varied plumage of the 

 drake, has been met with very rarely in these islands- 

 This is rather remarkable seeing that the species is 

 resident in Iceland. Length, 17 in., or about the same 

 size as the Tufted Duck. 



THE ElDER DUCK, Somateria mollissima, is rarely met 

 with in England south of the Yorkshire coast. Only 

 on one occasion have I seen this bird in South-eastern 

 England, and that was off Canvey Island in the Thames 

 estuary, where I shot a duck of this species in the autumn 

 of 1895. Farther north Eiders are common enough ; they 

 are however essentially sea-going fowl and are of little 

 value to the sportsman. Length, 26 in. ; weight, some- 

 times exceeding 5j Ib. The KING EIDER, Somateria 

 spectabilis, and STELLER'S EIDER, Somateria dispar y are 

 rare visitors to our islands, the former having been 

 obtained on some fifteen occasions and the latter merely 

 twice. 



THE COMMON SCOTER, Oidemia nigra. Thousands of 

 these black ducks are to be found off the eastern sea- 

 board of England in winter. I have seen them blacken- 

 ing the sea on the shallows off the Essex coast, but few 

 people save the novice ever think of going after them, as 

 they are of little account either as sport-providers or for 

 the table. Length, 19 in. ; weight, about 2| Ib. 



THE VELVET SCOTER, Oidemia fusca, with us, is much 

 rarer than the bird last mentioned. The Velvet Scoter 

 is easily known by the conspicuous white bar across the 

 wings. Length, 22 in. ; weight of the male about 4 Ib., 

 of the female a pound or so less. 



THE SURF SCOTER, Oidemia perspicillata, is a wanderer 

 from North America that has been met with in these 

 islands only a score times or so. As in the case of the 



