360 THE BIRDS OP SUSSEX. 



about a mile from the shore, but individuals often fly in to 

 the very edge of the breakers, whence, iiowever, they soon 

 return to the main body. This bird never enters the har- 

 bours or estuaries, except in the very heaviest weather, or 

 when it has been crippled. 



The Scoter is most commonly known as the " Black Duck," 

 but is occasionally called the Coot. It breeds in high North- 

 ern latitudes, and according to Yarrell (B. B. vol. iv. p. 274) 

 the nest is generally placed on an island, in a freshwater 

 lake, or in the bogs in the vicinity, and is composed of grass 

 and moss, with a lining of down. I have noted that on 

 February 7th, 1841, a specimen of this Duck was shot by the 

 late Mr. Scutt, on a piece of water near the Lewes Paper 

 Mills, known as the Pell, an adult male, the gizzard contain- 

 ing a single specimen of Cardium. Mr. Knox observes 

 that the Scoter may be found in the Channel at all times of 

 the year. The flesh of this species is extremely unpalatable, 

 strongly resembling a mixture of bad fish and rancid train-oil, 

 and it is perhaps for the sake of the additional mortification 

 that the Roman Catholics are permitted to enjoy it on fast- 

 days*. The French have a proverb, "II ressemble a une 

 macreuse (scoter), il n'est ni chair ni poisson," applied to an 

 unreliable person. The only note I have heard from this bird 

 resembles somewhat the syllables " te, te " hoarsely repeated 

 several times. 



* On this subject there is an amusing treatise by M. Graindorge, pub- 

 lished at Caen in 1680 and reprinted at Paris in 1780. See also ' Corre- 

 spondence of John Ray,' published by the Ray Society in 1848 (pp. 131, 

 134, 135, 147, 148). 



