MORE OF THE WILD DUCK FAMILY 243 



arrival is known to themselves alone, and mere conjec- 

 tures on the matter are of no use, even for a moment. 



The Velvet Scoters visit us at the latter end of 

 autumn, and leave us again in the spring. In their 

 general habits they are like the Common Black 

 Scoters. I have seen statements, founded on ob- 

 servations made in past times, that they gathered 

 in vast numbers on the northern coasts of our islands 

 fifty-three years ago, but if such is still the case I 

 am unable to say. From what information I have 

 been able to gather, I think that the Velvet Scoters 

 are not quite so numerous in certain old haunts as 

 they once were. 



This bird, if it was seen flying inland, might at 

 the first glance be very easily taken for a Blackcock 

 in full plumage, the white patch on the wing adding 

 wonderfully to the general resemblance to that bird 

 when on flight. As a feathered curiosity, the 

 Velvet Scoter is sometimes in request ; but for eat- 

 ing it is no better than its common relative, the 

 Black Scoter. It is caught in nets very often, and 

 goes for preserving. 



There is a third species of Scoter, the Surf Duck 

 or Great-billed Scoter, which belongs to the eastern 

 coasts of North America. From thence, and no 

 doubt from other cold regions also, the few speci- 

 mens (properly authenticated specimens I mean) 

 which have been procured on the coasts of the 

 United Kingdom have presumably found their way 

 to us, some of them to be shot, and one or two 

 to be picked up. 



