304 VERTEBRATE FAUNA OF LAKELAND 



VELVET SCOTER. 



(Edemia fusca (L.). 



The Velvet Scoter has always been a somewhat rare bird in 

 Lakeland. Taylor of Headswood reported to T. C. Heysham a 

 Velvet Scoter seen and fired at on Talkin Tarn, in May 1847, 

 and Dr. Gough recorded a pair which visited Windermere in 

 May 1848, the drake being killed by Mr. Watson of Ecclerigg. 

 These, strangely enough, are the only Velvet Scoters for whose 

 occurrence in the interior of Lakeland there is satisfactory 

 evidence. Mr. Hey wood Thomson, and also Williams of Barrow, 

 informed me that they have seen Velvet Scoters in the Irish 

 Channel between Fleetwood and the south point of Walney, 

 such birds being usually in the company of Common Scoters. 

 Certainly the species is rarely obtained in the ' ducker ' nets of 

 the Flookburgh fishermen. Mr. W. E. Beckwith informed Mr. 

 F. S. Mitchell that he obtained a young drake killed on Cartmell 

 Sands in December 1876. The species has not been obtained 

 to my knowledge between Morecambe Bay and Silloth, where 

 the first that came under my notice was shot on May 2, 1883. 

 Mr. J. N. Robinson shot a beautiful old male on the Eden near 

 Cargo, December 22, 1886. An occasional Velvet Scoter has 

 appeared from time to time in Silloth Bay, feeding on shell-fish 

 like the Scaups and Common Scoters. Mr. Nicol shot an im- 

 mature drake in November 1887, and two in the following 

 month, sent to Mackenzie, and another in female plumage in 

 January 1888. This last was in company with an old drake, 

 which escaped scatheless. In July 1889 the same excellent 

 observer saw a Velvet Scoter in Silloth Bay, and another, also 

 solitary, in October of the same year. Mr. Tullie saw a Velvet 

 Scoter at Monkhill Lough in December 1890, and on the 13th 

 we observed a Scoter, apparently a Velvet, off the point of 

 Burgh marsh, where Mr. Leavers had fired at it several times a 

 few days before. We saw it come up with the tide, flight round 

 and alight again in the main channel, in which it was rapidly 

 carried away. Mr. Nicol considers that this Scoter is more 

 restless than the common species, frequently rising on the wing 

 and taking long flights. He has never heard it utter any call-note. 



