WILD DUCKS AND DUCK DECOYING 147 



Another of the sea-ducks, the scaup, is also taken in 

 large numbers in this way. But, owing to the oily 

 nature of their flesh, and its fishy taste, these birds 

 are rarely eaten. It is owing to this fact that during 

 Lent in Catholic countries the flesh of the scoter is 

 allowed to be eaten. 



Close cousin to the last, but somewhat rarer, is 

 the velvet scoter, a handsome duck, with velvety 

 black plumage relieved by a purely white patch on 

 the wing and a crescent-shaped spot of the same 

 colour under the eye. This, too, is a winter visitant, 

 enjoying and obtaining its food in the roughest 

 wintry seas. A few velvet scoters may always be 

 seen among the immense flocks of the common kind. 

 In haunt and habit, as well as food, the common 

 and velvet scoters are identical. The surf scoter 

 is the rarest of the three British species, and is 

 intermediate in size between the two last. With 

 black plumage like its congeners, it is characteristic- 

 ally marked by a white spot on the forehead 

 and an elongated white streak down the neck. The 

 roughest seas have no terror to the surf scoter, and 

 it is such an expert diver as to be able to fish at a 

 depth of several fathoms. None of these scoters 

 breed in Britain, but nest in the great northern 

 marshes. 



Another of the well-known marine ducks is the 

 pochard, or dun-bird. To fishermen and fowlers it 



