66 British Diving Ducks 
are a little darker. The head and neck are a dull blackish-brown ; there is a dull white 
patch in front of the eye, not so large as in the young female, and a small one over the 
ear. The upper parts are blackish-brown with lighter ends to the feathers ; under parts 
light brown, edged with dull white ; wings, brown ; secondaries white, with the outer 
feathers margined with dark brown ; long inner secondaries, dark brown ; tail and primaries 
dark brown, the former much worn at the tips. The feet are at first greenish yellow over 
brown, and the bill lead-blue black. 
By the beginning of November the different sexes are easily identified, as the bill of the 
male grows rapidly to nearly the size of the adult. The colouring, too, of the light parts of 
the bill is reddish yellow. In November the first black feathers appear on the head and 
upper chest, and the legs and feet become dull red, with the webs dusky black. By Feb- 
ruary the immature male has many black feathers on the scapulars, rump, undertail coverts, 
flanks, and upper breast, while the whole of head and neck is a very dark brownish 
black, the two patches having almost disappeared. In April a further number of black 
feathers come into the above-mentioned parts, and the moult then ceases. Throughout 
the succeeding months until late July the plumage of the young male fades. I have not 
succeeded in obtaining specimens in August of these 13-months males, but have no doubt 
that the course of plumage follows that of the Common Scoter, and that it has a first partial 
eclipse on the head and neck. At 18^ months the first full plumage is attained, but the 
head and neck of these birds are never so rich and glossy black as old males. At 21 months 
there are still a few black spots on the yellow of the bill. Young males may breed at 23 
months, but I rather doubt if they do. I think that another year must elapse, when they 
are in full beauty, before they can be considered quite adult. 
Adult Male. — Except for the white long and short secondaries and a small patch of 
white below the eye, the whole plumage is a deep glossy black, which in the open air takes 
on a bluish tinge. The throat and front neck have a brownish tinge. The bill is very 
strong and broad, and much swollen over the nostrils, forming a slight protuberance. This 
part and the margin of the bill is black. Except the nail, which in life is a bright bone 
yellow, the rest of the bill is rich orange-yellow. Two narrow black lines pass on each side 
of the nail upwards to the black above the nostrils. On the summit of the bill there is a 
naked space of rough grey-brown skin. Irides, reddish brown ; legs and toes deep red ; 
webs, dusky black. Adult males vary a good deal in size. Total length from 22 to 25 
inches ; wing, 10 to 11 inches ; tail, 3.5 inches ; tarsus, 1.9 inches. 
The eclipse plumage of the Velvet-Scoter has never been obtained or described, but after 
repeated failures to obtain a specimen, I at last killed an old male on August 3, 1887, near 
the island of Flotta, Orkneys. 
This bird has a very difierent appearance from a male in spring. A general moult is 
taking place over the whole plumage, and the feathers that are coming in are in every case 
those of the black winter dress. The change in appearance is due to the ends of his old 
feathers being worn and sun-bleached, and this is most noticeable on the cheeks, crown, 
chest, and scapulars, which all have grey or faded edges. The most interesting feature, 
however, is a patch of whitish brown eclipse feathers behind the eye and the bill, which 
had evidently come in in July, and give the bird a female appearance. In front of these 
feathers is a jet black patch, which has, however, only been renewed once in the plumage 
