242 THE BIRDS OF DEVON. 



Common Scoter. (Edcmia nigra (Linn.). 



[Black Duck.] 



A -winter visitor, arriving in August or September, and remaining till 

 late in the spring. Dr. E. 3kloore suspected that this species bred in 

 Devon (J. B. II., Trans. Plym, Inst. 1^02-63). A few non-breeding birds 

 occasionally remain on the coast during the summer. !Mr. ]loss had a male 

 shot on the Exe in July 1844, but it is very unusual for this bird to enter 

 that estuary. Mr. Bolitho at Plymouth received two males in May and 

 June 1853. Mr. Cecil Smith saw a male off Exmouth, May 19th, 1868. 

 On June 2nd, 1877, we saw flocks off Langstone Point, near Dawlish. 

 Large Hocks are sometimes seen off the South Coast in autumn and 

 winter, but they usually keep well out at sea. The Common Scoter 

 generally visits Plymouth Sound in October, especially if the wind is 

 easterly. One was seen in Stonehouse Pool on September 12th, 187(3, 

 and large flocks in Start Bay, at the end of September 1883 (J. G,, Zool. 

 1880, p. 47 ; 1876, p. 5145 ; 1884, p. 53). 



A fine old male was killed near Plymouth, March 22nd, 1873. Many flocks 

 appeared on tlie Taniar. after severe frost, October 29tli, 187^. Thirty were seen on 

 Plvnioiitli Sound, January 28th, 1875 ; and an adult male, February 1st, 1881, and 

 another later (J. G., Zool.' 1873, p. 3')()3 ; 1874, p. 390(i ; 1875, p. 4273 ; 1881, p. 197). 



Some occur occasionally on Kingsbridge estuary (R. P. N., MS. Notes). Mr. E. 

 Elliot killid three females there at the end of 1889, and one in March 1891. 



Numerous flocks were seen on Torbay in October 1844 (Ross, MS, Journ. iv. p. 148) ; 

 two were shot there, February 17th, 1869, and two adult males, January 12th, 1870, 

 and common Scoters were abundant and in large flocks again in February 1874 (A. von 

 II., Zool. Isri9. p. 172(» : 1870, p. 2059; 1874, p. 3905). Large numbers were seen off 

 Brixham, February 1891. 



Flocks arc frequently seen off Exmouth. A great many were observed there in 

 April 18()9 (C. S., in lift). One at Dawlish, October 14th, 1874. Flocks off Langstone 

 Point, 2nd June, 1877. In August 1890 and 1891 we saw large flocks flying towards 

 Torbay from the S.E. (W. D'U.). 



This bird is an occasional visitor to Lundy Island (Trans. Devon. Assoc, viii. 

 p. 309), but is not numerous on the north coast of the county. 



Baron A. von Hiigel observed that in Torbay it fed on ^oleu e7isis and S. vagina (Zool. 

 1870, p. 2059). 



Except at the nesting-season the Scoters are all salt-water Ducks, very 

 rarely entering our estuaries. Large flocks of the Common Scoter make 

 their appearance in the English Channel early in the autumn, and many 

 are to be met with throughout the winter off the South Devon coast at 

 Exmouth, Torbay, Plymouth, &c. Flocks also ascend the Bristol Channel, 

 where we have seen them on the bay at Weston-super-Mare diving in 

 company with the Scaups and other fowl. Elocks of Common Scoters 

 are also seen off the Cornish and Dorset coasts, keeping some distance 

 out, unless very rough weather drives them to seek the shelter of the 

 shore. Mr. Ivodd states that examples are occasionally found entangled 

 in the fishermen's nets. After severe storms a stray Scoter is sometimes 

 picked up a considerable distance inland. We had in our possession a 

 line adult which was shot at ]S^ew Bridge, on the Taw, some nine or ten 



