THE SPECIES. Ill 



Oceanites. Plate xxxiii. PR OCELLA RIIDM, 



398. occaniciis, 7^ in. Wilson's Petrel. Black, with a white bar on 



upper base of tail, and white spots on, the flanks ; 



tail square ; legs long. 



_ Wilson's Petrel — Dimensions, Gl ; Eggs, Hq — has been occasionally noted among our 



visitors since 1238. It is recognisable at once by its long legs. In flight it seems invariably 



to cross the waves at right angles, leaping from one to the other in the Petrel way. Petrel 



being Peterel, or Little Peter, from the Apostle who tried to walk on water. Its eggs have 



been found on Kerguelen Island. 



CEdemia. Plate xxii. ANA TID^. 



256. nigra, 20 in. ScOTER. All black ; remiges 26 ; tail of 16 



feathers. 

 258. perspicillata, 21 in. SuRF Scoter. All black, except patches of white 



on forehead and nape. 

 257- fusca, 22 in. Velvet Scoter, All black, except a white patch 



on wing. 



The Scoter — Dimensions, Pf; Eggs, Qk — is our common black Sea Duck, so plentiful in 

 the winter. Its black and yellow bill, with the knob at the base, at once distinguishes it. It 

 dives well, and flies rapidly. The note of the male is " tu, tu, tu" ; to which the female 

 replies with a louder^ grating " kre-kr-kre." The nest is a mere hollow on the shore, hidden 

 among the bushes, hned with dead grass and leaves, and much down ; the down in colour is 

 like the Wild Duck's, but the quantity is far greater. There are from six to nine eggs. 



The Surf Scoter— Dimensions, Pm ; Eggs, Qc — is a North American, occasionally wander- 

 ing over here. It is the " Coot " of the American magazines, having received the name from 

 the white patch on the forehead, which is a very different sort of thing from that of the shield 

 of Fuiica. 



The Velvet Scoter — Dimensions, Ps ; Eggs, Rf — is one of our doubtful residents. It is 

 never very numerous, but ajjpears every winter, mostly along the east coast. Its diving 

 propensities have led to its being taken, in fishing nets, under water. It is occasionally seen 

 inland. It flies rapidly, and is the boldest of the Scoters. The nest is a mere hollow, lined 

 with leaves, and a large quantity of down, browner than that of the Black Scoter, darker id 

 the centre, and larger in size. The eggs are from 8 to 10 in number. 



(Edicnemus. Plate xxv. CEDICNEMIDM. 



290. scolopax, IS in. Stone Curlew. Greyish brown above ; whitish 



below ; eye very large ; bill half yellow half black : 



remiges 29 ; breast boldly streaked ; dark band 



across wing, with pale narrow band inside it, 



between the lesser and greater coverts, the latter of 



which are tipped with white ; central feathers of 



ttul more than one inch longer than the outer ones ; 



ta.'-sus reticulate. 



The Stone Curlew — Dimensions, Mn ; Eggs, Oa — is often called the Thicknee, which may 



have its advantages as suggestive of the CEthickneemldEe, but is otherwise misleading, as it 



is not the bird's knee which is thick, but its ankle. It is also known as the Norfolk Plover. 



It is a resident, whose numbers are increased by migrants in the summer. The Stone 



Curlew always runs for a few yards before taking to flight, and as it flies the markings on its 



secondaries are conspicuous. It has a loud plaintive cry. The nest is a mere hollow among 



shingle, and the eggs, like all those laid on a beach, are found by looking for two stones 



alike. 



Oriolus. Plate v. ORIOLINM (Passeridse). 



72. galbula, 9 in. GOLDEN Oriole. All yellow except wings, which 



are black with a yellow bar, and the central tail 



feathers ; black spot between bill and eye ; remiges 



20 ; first primary half the length of the second. 



The Golden Oriole— Dimensions, Ibj Eggs, He— is too conspicuous a bird to be left in 



peace, although it still breeds in Cornwall every year, and is frequently reported from the 



eastern counties. It does not walk, but is one of our largest birds that hop, and it is noticeable 



that its folded wings reach to withm an inch of the end of its tail. Its flight is easy and 



undulatory. Its call is "Ah! How d'ye do?" and its alarm is a " khrr," The female is 



greener than the male, and her tail is brown, with a narrow yellow tip. The nest is a 



suspended one, hanging from two forking branches, and formed of interwoven bark strips and 



sedge leaves lined with grass flowers. There are four or five eggs. 



