230 BIRD-LIFE OF THE BORDERS. 



with good reason. But as for the others, give it up, gather 

 the dead and go on to try for fresh ones, for the winged you 

 will never get. 



More numerous than all the above-mentioned species to- 

 gether is the Common Scoter or Black Duck, which comes 

 to the coast in swarms. The open sea is their home ; they 

 may be met with diving in twenty fathoms several miles from 

 land, or at other times close along the shore, feeding off 

 the reefs which fringe the coast line. Inside harbour 

 they never go I only once remember seeing one there a 

 single bird shot by my brother, but it had probably been 

 "pricked." 



Scoters are resident here all the year round. Throughout 

 the whole summer flocks of these ducks still frequent their 

 winter haunts off the coast, though they are a northern 

 breeding species, none ever nesting in England. These 

 summer birds are all immature, from which it appears 

 clear both that this species requires, at least, two years to 

 attain full maturity, and also that they do not breed till 

 that stage is attained. Many young drakes (of the second 

 year) shot in February are half changed to full black 

 plumage. 



Abundant as these ducks are they afford little or no 

 sport ; being equally distasteful both to eye and palate, they 

 offer no reason or excuse for pursuit after a few have been 

 obtained. In the last-named particular they are, it is true, 

 no worse than the rest of the sea-ducks ; but the others 

 have at least the charm of beautiful plumage, which is 

 wanting in these " ugly ducklings." The Velvet Scoter is 

 a larger and handsome species, the jet-black plumage of the 

 old drakes being peculiarly rich and glossy, and is easily 

 distinguishable at any distance by the broad white speculum 

 on the wings, closely resembling an old Blackcock, if one 

 could imagine such a bird far out at sea. They are far less 

 numerous than the Black Scoters, though a small company 

 or two of half a dozen birds each may generally be met with 

 in the same localities as these ducks. The Velvet Scoters, 

 and the winter contingent of the smaller species, both arrive 

 here in October and withdraw at the end of March. Bevond 



