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COMMON SCOTER. 



SCOTER. BLACK SCOTER. 



Oidemia nigra, ..... Fleming. 



Anas nigra, ...... Lnnsr^trs. 



Canard macreuse, ..... Temmiwck. 



Oidemia. Oidetna — A swelling; as if referring to the inflated base of the bill. 



Nigra — Black. 



The Black, or Common Scoter, is more generally distributed round our shores than 

 the species just described; but in Scotland, Sir W. Jardine considers it the more un- 

 common of the two: in England and Ireland however, it is the Common Scoter of the 

 coasts, and is to be met with in more or less abundance everywhere. It is usually 

 considered a winter visitor, but Mr. Yarrell states that he and others have occasionally 

 seen small flocks on the south coast during the summer months. These are probably 

 either young birds, or else barren ones; large flocks of which, according to Audubon, 

 remain as far south as the Bay of Fundy, in North America, during the summer. 



The Common Scoter is found in all the northern countries of Europe, Asia, and 

 America, breeding in the high latitudes, and migrating in winter to the more southern 

 parts. It is common in France, Holland, and Scandinavia; and is met with as far 

 south as Italy. 



Like all the birds of similar habits, the Common Scoter is rank and fishy, but in 

 Roman Catholic countries it is allowed to be eaten during Lent, as being considered to 

 partake more of the nature of fish than fowl. In consequence of this, they are much 

 sought after in France, and on some parts of the coast nets are spread over the beds 

 of shell-fish which they frequent, and thus large numbers are taken, being entangled in 

 the meshes when diving, and so drowned. 



Mr. Yarrell gives a curious account of the way in which these birds are taken on the 

 salt lakes, in the neighbourhood of Martigues, at the mouth of the Rhone. A kind 

 of authorized Battue takes place; the people being called together, and organized by the 

 mayors of the towns around. The gunners in boats surround the birds, and gradually 



