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coast of Devon. I have, however, occasionally shot one near Weston-super-Mare. On the south 

 coast of Devon they are very common all through the winter, and large flocks of them may 

 generally be seen about ; but they are very shy and difficult of approach. A foggy day seems to 

 make all the difference, as I once got amongst a large flock off Dawlish in a thick fog on the 

 19th of November, and shot several in a short time. I was rather surprised to find that, although 

 these birds had lately arrived on the coast, very few having been seen about before, they were in 

 full moult, and many of them were perfectly unable to fly, having moulted so many of their quill- 

 feathers. How they managed their migratory journey in this state seems to me a difficulty. I 

 have only seen one or two Scoters in Guernsey, and that only on one occasion ; but I am informed 

 they are occasionally more numerous." 



It is also a regular winter visitant to many localities on the coast of Ireland, but has not, so 

 far as I can ascertain, been known to breed there. It is found in Iceland. Faber thought that 

 it was only to be met with at Myvatn, where it breeds ; but Preyer mentions one shot out of a 

 flock of eight at Arnarvatn. 



Captain Feilden, who includes it in his list of the birds inhabiting the Faeroes, says that 

 Mr. H. C. Miiller informed him that a single pair were observed at Hoidenor on the 30th June, 

 1868, and that the male was shot. 



Throughout Scandinavia it is generally distributed, but breeds only in the northern portions 

 of the country or on the fells. Mr. Robert Collett informs me that " in Norway its range is 

 about the same as that of the Velvet Scoter ; for, like that species, it breeds on the elevated 

 southern fells, and in the northern districts up to the Varanger fjord ; but in most localities it 

 appears to be rather less numerous than (Ed. fusca. During the breeding-season the males leave 

 the females whilst these latter are incubating, and resort to the sea, where, in the autumn, they 

 are joined by the females and young birds ; and during the winter they are found on the coast in 

 scattered flocks up to Tromso. In Finmark proper it can scarcely be said to be resident ; but 

 sometimes a few remain over winter at open places in the interior." Professor Nilsson says that 

 it breeds only in the high northern portions of Sweden, but in the autumn moves southwards, 

 appearing in Southern Sweden in October, some remaining throughout the winter, whilst others 

 move further south. In the spring they are again seen in May, on their passage north. During 

 the breeding-season it is tolerably widely distributed in Finland, and nests in the northern 

 districts. Dr. Palmen says (Finl. Fogl. ii. p. 456) that Von Wright met with it in June 1856 at 

 Alkkula, on the lower Tornea river. It occurs at Uleaborg and Kajana, and breeds there, but 

 is not common. Aschan found a nest, with four eggs, in Sotkamo, on the 25th June 1867 ; and 

 Hollmerus found it breeding there in 1872. Sadelin records it from Osterbotten; and Alcenius 

 found it breeding between Gamla Karleby and Wasa. Aschan also found it breeding in Northern 

 Savolaks ; and J. von Wright, who observed it on passage above Kuopio, says that a few breed 

 there. It is somewhat remarkable that, according to Tengstrom, it breeds not uncommonly on 

 the northern shores of the Ladoga, and is seen on the Wuoksen until the ice forms. In Southern 

 Finland it is otherwise only found on passage ; Palmen gives many instances of its occurrence in 

 various parts of the country, and says that it has been obtained near Helsingfors as late as the 

 early part of November. On the coasts of Novaya Zemlya and Northern Russia it is numerous ; 

 and large numbers breed in the Archangel Government. Messrs. Seebohm and Harvie-Brown, 



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