COMMON SCOTEE. 53 



The note of this Duck is rough and grating. That of the 

 male lias been likened to the monosyllables 'tu, tu, tu,' and 

 that of the female to ra, ra, ra.' 



The nest of this Duck is described as being placed by the 

 side of water in the most unfrequented situations, often far 

 inland among brushwood or on stony ground; and made of 

 grasses, twigs, and the dry leaves and the stalks of plants 

 under the shelter of a willow or birch, or in a tuft of her- 

 bage, the down of the bird itself being made use of for 

 lining. 



After the female has laid, the male birds collect together 

 in flocks, and repair to the coast. 



The eggs are from five or six, to seven or eight, or nine, 

 in number; Thieneman says as many as ten, of a pale buff 

 colour, tinged with green. 



Male; weight, about two pounds nine ounces; length, one 

 foot six inches, or over; bill, black, and grooved along the 

 edges, where it is broad and flat. There is a knob of the 

 same colour at the base of the upper mandible, and a space 

 along the ridge of orange yellow. The rim round the eye 

 is of the same colour. Iris, dusky brown. Head, black, with 

 a tinge of glossy purple blue; crown, neck, nape, chin, throat, 

 breast, and back, black. 



The wings, which are short, have the second quill feather 

 the longest. The first is strongly notched at about half its 

 length. Greater and lesser wing coverts, primaries, secondaries, 

 tertiaries, greater and lesser under wing coverts, tail, of six- 

 teen sharp-pointed feathers and wedge-shaped, the middle ones 

 being the longest, all, as also the tail coverts, black. Legs 

 and toes, dusky reddish black; webs, nearly quite black. 



The female has the bill dusky black; the knob scarcely 

 raised. Head on the sides, paler than the rest; crown, neck, 

 and nape, blackish brown, the edges of the feathers being of 

 a lighter hue; chin and throat, greyish white. Breast, paler 

 brown than the upper parts, and the feathers of a silky 

 texture; back, black brown, the feathers edged with a paler 

 shade. The greater and lesser wing coverts have also the 

 edges a little lighter; under tail coverts, dark brown. Legs 

 and toes, brown, with a tinge of green; webs, almost black. 



The young resemble the female at first. Towards the 

 winter, the sides of the head, neck in front, and on the sides, 

 and chin, dull greyish white. The breast mottled with brown 

 and white. The orange on the bill shews itself by degrees. 



