V E L V E T S C O T E R .
VELVET SCOTER.
CEDE MIA FUSCA (Linn.).
Anas fusca, Linn. S. N. i. p. 196 (1766); Naum. xii. p. 123.
Oidemia fusca, Maeg. v. p. 134; Hewitson, ii. p. 419.
(Edemia fusca, Yarr. ed. 4, iv. p. 476; Dresser, vi. p. 657.
Grande-Macreuse, French; Sammet- Ente, German; Pato
negro real, Spanish.
This fine Duck is an autumnal visitor to our coasts
and occasionally wanders to considerable distances
inland from its accustomed maritime haunts. My
personal acquaintance with the Velvet Scoter is very
scanty; I observed small flocks of this species during
very severe weather taking their pleasure off the northern
shore of the Firth of Forth, generally well out of gunshot
range from the land, but by chance, for I never was
skilful with a rifle, I managed to put a bullet through
the neck of a very fine old male, and had the good
fortune to secure my prize out of a rough tumble of
sea. A few Velvet Scoters haunted the harbour of
Santander during November and December 1879, and
I obtained two or three. I very much regret that
through an error of mine in the Latin designation of