SCOTER DUCK. 67 
black ; * but in full-plumaged birds of both sexes, the mark- 
ings are very much alike. 
The brant is often seen in our markets for sale. Its flesh, 
though esteemed by many, tastes somewhat sedgy, or fishy.+ 
SCOTER DUCK. (Anas nigra.) 
PLATE LXXIL— Fra, 2: 
Le Macreuse, Briss. vi. p. 420, pl. 38, fig. 2.— Buff. ix. p. 234, pl. 16.—Pl. enl. 
978.— Bewick, ii. p. 288.—Arct. Zool. No. 484.—Lath. Syn. iii. p. 480.— 
Peale’s Museum, No. 2658. 
OIDEMIA NIGRA.—FLEMING.t 
Oidemia nigra, Flem. Br. Anim. p.119.—WNorth. Zool. ii. p. 450.—Bonap. Synop. 
p. 390.—Canard Macreuse, Zemm. Man. ii. p. 856.—Scoter, or Black Diver, 
Mont. Ornith. Dict. ii. and Supp.— Bew. Br. Birds, ii. p. 325.—Black Scoter, 
Selby, Illust. Br. Orn. pl. 68. 
Tuts duck is but little known along our sea-coast, being more 
usually met with in the northern than southern districts, and 
only during the winter. Its food is shellfish, for which it is 
almost perpetually diving. ‘That small bivalve so often men- 
tioned, small mussels, spout-fish, called on the coast, razor 
handles, young clams, &c., furnish it with abundant fare ; 
and wherever these are plenty, the scoter is an occasional 
visitor. They swim, seemingly at ease, amidst the very 
roughest of the surf, but fly heavily along the surface, and to 
no great distance. They rarely penetrate far up our rivers 
* The figure of this bird given by Bewick is in that state. 
+ Mr Ord adds :—“ The individual figured in the plate was shot by 
the editor, at Great Ege Harbour, on the 19th of May 1813. It had 
been compelled to land by a storm, which surprised it while travelling 
to the north. The procuring of this bird was a fortunate occurrence for 
Mr Wilson, he having omitted to make a drawing while specimens were 
to be obtained during their sojourn on our coast. The following day, 
the author and his friend returned home from their last shooting expe- 
dition to the sea-shore ; and on the 23d of August, the ingenious and 
excellent Wilson bade adieu to this world for ever,”—Ep. 
+ The plumage on the head and neck of this bird is remarkable for 
its rigid texture and the narrow hackled shape of the feathers.—Ep. 
