VELVET DUCK AND BLACK SCOTEE. 253 



THE VELVET DUCK. 



ENGLISH SYNONYMS. Velvet Duck: Montagu. Velvet Scoter: Selby, 

 Jenyns, McGillivray. Black Duck, White-winged Black Duck, Black 

 Diver, Double Scoter. 



LATIN SYNONYMS. Anas fusca: Linn., Latham, Temminck. Oidemia 

 fusca : Selby, Jenyns, Bonaparte, McGillivray. Anas nigra : French 

 writers. 



FRENCH SYNONYM. Canard Macreuse : Temminck. 



The Scoters (Oidemia, Flemming) have the bill broad, with 

 dilated margins, and coarse lamelliform teeth ; a swelling above 

 the nostrils, dividing them into two equal parts, both large and 

 elevated. 



The Velvet Duck is the largest of the Scoters, and is distinguish- 

 able by the white band upon its wing, much- depressed body, thick 

 neck, and large, oblong, and compressed head. They make their 

 appearance in our bays and estuaries towards the end of autumn, 

 and depart about the middle of April. In the evening they fly 

 out to sea in flocks of fifteen or twenty when the weather is 

 favourable, returning to the shore in the morning. They fly low, 

 but with considerable speed, moving their wings quickly ; and 

 on arriving at a suitable place, they relax a little and alight on 

 their hinder end, the body being kept oblique. On settling, they 

 commence forthwith to feed. 



THE BLACK SCOTER. 



ENGLISH SYNONYM. Black Scoter : Selby, Jenyns, McGillivray. 



LATIN SYNONYMS. Anas nigra : Linn., Latham, Temminck. Oidemia 

 nigra : Flemming, Selby, Jenyns, Bonaparte, McGillivray. 



The Black Scoter arrives on our shores about the middle of 

 autumn in considerable flocks, and is seen on all our western coast 

 during winter, but is still more abundant on the French coast. 

 It closely resembles the American Scoter, of which it is probably 

 a variety. 



The Black Scoter (Oidemia nigra) is almost as large as the 

 Common Wild Duck, but is shorter and more thickly made. Its 

 plumage is entirely black ; when young it is greyish. 



The Black Scoter passes its life on the surface of the water, and 



