Family ANATID^. Genus Fuligula.. 



Subfamily Fuligulin.-e. 



COMMON SCOTER. 



FULIGULA NIGRA— (Z/««<Z2^j). 



Geographical Distribution. —^^zV/>A . Common winter 

 visitor, especially on the eastern coasts, from the Shetlands and 

 Orkneys to the mouth of the Thames, in all suitable districts, and 

 thence round the southern coast of England, although not in such 

 vast numbers. Comparatively speaking it is much less common 

 on our western coast line, the flat shores of Lancashire and the 

 Solway district being its chief head-quarters. It is most abundant 

 in the north of Ireland, becoming more sparingly distributed in 

 the west and south. Small numbers of immature non-breeding 

 birds frequent the British coasts during the summer, and a few 

 pairs of adults are known to breed in the north of Scotland, in 

 Caithness, Sutherland, and Ross-shire. This Duck is recorded 

 (Science Gossip, 1891, p. 256) as having bred on the Earnly 

 Marshes, near Chichester, but further confirmation of the fact is 

 much to be desired. Foreign: Northern and western Palsearctic 

 region ; more southerly in winter. It breeds in the Arctic regions 

 of Europe and Western Siberia, from Iceland to the Taimyr 

 peninsula, as far north as lat. 74°, and as far south as the Arctic 

 Circle, and in a few localities at high elevations below it where 

 similar climatic conditions prevail. It is found during winter in the 

 Baltic and the basin of the North Sea, exceptionally as far south 

 as the Azores, and only very sparingly in the Western Mediter- 

 ranean as far as Italy. It was said by Pallas to visit the Black 

 Sea, and is reputed to be common in the Caspian Sea, whilst 

 it has been obtained on the coasts of Palestine during 

 winter. 



