Birds of Britain 



is not very rare on the coast of Norway in winter, where 

 many migrate westwards. Two examples only have been 

 obtained in Great Britain. 



It is the smallest of our Eiders. The male has the head 

 white, with a bluish black patch across the occiput and on 

 the chin. The rest of the upper parts are bluish black, 

 except the falcate secondaries, which are striped with white. 

 Under parts rufous chestnut. The female, except in size, is 

 very like the Common Eider, but darker. Length 18 in. ; 

 wing 8*5 in. 



THE COMMON SCOTER 



(Edemia nigra (Linnaeus) 



This species, except during the breeding season, is almost 

 exclusively a Sea-Duck, spending most of its time some 

 distance out at sea, only approaching the shallower water 

 near the shore for food, and rarely entering bays or estuaries, 

 except under stress of weather. 



It is very common round all our coasts, but commonest, 

 perhaps, in the North Sea, where flocks of many thousands 

 may often be seen during the winter months. 



The main breeding grounds are the wide tundras of 

 Northern Europe and Siberia, but a few pairs nest in the 

 north of Scotland. The nest is usually placed on an islet 

 in a small lake or mere, and composed of a few tuftg of moss 

 and heather lined with down. The eggs, eight or nine in 

 number, are yellowish white in colour. As a rule it is a 



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