230 VELVET SCOTER. 



Ill its habits it is maritime, seldom venturing far up the rivers. It dives with great 



facility, and is indifferent to the roughest sea. It flies heavily, and to no great distance. 



In diving for its food, it is often taken in the nets of the fishermen, getting entangled 



in the meshes. 



Its food consists of shell-fish of various species; probably none that it can swallow 



come amiss to it. 



The nests, according to Audubon, are "placed within a few feet of the borders of small 

 lakes, a mile or two distant from the sea, and usually under the low boughs of the 

 bushes, of the twigs of which, with mosses and various plants matted together, they are 

 formed. They are large and almost flat, several inches thick, with some feathers of the 

 female, but no down, under the eggs, which are usually six in number, measuring two 

 inches and three-quarters in length, by one and seven-eighths in breadth, of a uniform 

 pale cream-colour tinged with green." 



In the adult male, the upper mandible of the bill is orange, the base and edges black; 

 the lower mandible is yellowish white. Irides, pale cream-colour; the eyelid, and a small 

 spot under and behind the eye, white. Secondaries, white, forming a band across the 

 wing. The rest of the plumage is a brownish black. Tail, short and acuminated; legs 

 and toes, red; membranes, brown. 



In the female the bill is dusky; a white spot near the base of the upper mandible, 

 and another behind the eye. The plumage generally is of a dusky brown, the tips of 

 the feathers being lighter. The under parts are of a lighter shade. 



The weight of the Velvet Scoter is about three pounds. 



Its length is from twenty-two to twenty-three inches. 



