The Scoter dives with the greatefl dexterity, and is ge* 

 nerally met with on the fea at a confiderable diftance from 

 fhore, to which it retires only during the breeding feafon, they 

 are at that time found in confiderable numbers off the coafl of 

 France, " where they are fold to the Catholics, who eat them 

 on faft-days and in Lent ; '* they are are often taken in the 

 fimermen's nets while diving in queft of food, which chiefly 

 confifts of fmall fhell-fifh ; in the gizzard of the one our 

 figure was coloured from, we found a quantity of fhells re- 

 duced to pieces, alfo fome fmall pieces of glafs ; the fleih was 

 hard, dry, and coarfe, but entirely devoid of any fifhy of 

 unpleafant tafte. 



Of the habits of this fpecies, we have but little know- 

 ledge, as it is of a very my difpofition, and inftantly dives 

 at the approach of danger and reappears at a very confiderable 

 diftance; its flight is heavy and flow; the pofition of its 

 legs (placed fo far behind) muft occafion it to walk awk- 

 wardly ; we have juffc learnt that this bird fometimes breeds 

 in the Calf of Man, near the coafl of Scotland ; of this 

 we hope fhortly to be able to give further information. 



The male of this fpecies is not furnifhed with a labyrinth- 



