136 



SCOTER DUCK 



mal foodj fish excepted; these birds, and a few others of the same 

 fishy flavor, having been exempted from the interdict, on the sup- 

 position of their being cold blooded, and partaking of the natm^e 

 of fish.^ 



The Scoter abounds in Lapland, Norway, Sweden, Russia, 

 and Siberia. It was also found by Osbeck, between the islands of 

 Java and St. Paul, Lat. 30 and 34, in the month of June.t 



This species is twenty one inches in length, and thirty four 

 in extent, and is easily distinguished from all other ducks by the 

 peculiar form of its bill, which has at the base a large elevated 

 knob, of a red color, divided by a narrow line of yellow, which 

 spreads over the middle of the upper mandible, reaching nearly 

 to its extremity, the edges and lower mandible are black ; the eye 

 lid is yellow, iris dark hazel ; the whole plumage is black, inclin- 

 ing to purple on the head and neck ; legs and feet reddish. 



The female has little or nothing of the knob on the bill; her 

 plumage above a sooty brown, and below of a greyish white. 



* Bewick, 



f \oj, i. J). 120. 



