256 BIRDS OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



Hemispheres. The adult male in summer has the head, 

 neck, upper part of breast, and upper back, white; eyes, 

 surrounded with a greyish tinge; a large patch of dark 

 brown on each side of lower scapulars, elongated and white; 

 back, rump, wings, tail and upper tail-coverts, deep brown; 

 two central tail-feathers which are narrow and much elon- 

 gated, brown; outer rectrices, white; flanks, washed with 

 grey ; breast, dark brown ; below, white ; irides, reddish- 

 brown; bill at basal half and nail, black ; remainder, orange- 

 red ; legs and feet, deep slate-grey. Length, without central 

 tail-feathers, about twenty-two inches. The adult female 

 lacks the elongated rectrices. 



COMMON SCOTER. 



THE Common Scoter (Fuligula ntgra, Linnaeus) is an 

 autumn and winter visitor to the British Islands, breeding 

 very locally in Scotland ; it is also found inhabiting the 

 whole of the Northern Palearctic Region. The adult male 

 has the whole of the plumage rich glossy black; irides, 

 hazel; bill, black, with central ridge of upper mandible 

 deep yellow; legs and feet, blackish, webs of a darker 

 hue. Length, from eighteen to twenty inches. The adult 

 female has the prevailing colouration of the plumage of a 

 brownish tinge ; knob on bill hardly perceptible. The 

 young are similar to adult female, but under parts are 

 mottled with whitish. (P. 257.) 



