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This plate depicts the male Black Scoter in flight, rendered with striking lifelike detail by Prideaux John Selby. The Scoter’s characteristic dark plumage and the bright orange patch on its bill are carefully illustrated, set against a coastal background that suggests the bird’s natural habitat. Selby’s choice to depict the Scoter mid-flight captures the dynamism of this sea duck and highlights its streamlined form.
The Black Scoter (Melanitta americana) is a sea duck found primarily along the coasts of North America, particularly in the northern Atlantic and Pacific regions. During the breeding season, it prefers secluded freshwater lakes and ponds in boreal forests, while it migrates to coastal marine environments for the winter. The diet of the Black Scoter consists largely of mollusks, crustaceans, and aquatic insects, obtained through diving. Known for its distinct whistling call, the species is often seen in large flocks during migration and winter. Black Scoters are hardy birds adapted to cold coastal waters, with a range extending along the eastern coasts of North America from Newfoundland to the mid-Atlantic states and along the Pacific coast from Alaska to California.
Selby’s Illustrations of British Ornithology
Prideaux John Selby’s Illustrations of British Ornithology, published between 1821 and 1834, is one of the most significant works in 19th-century ornithological literature. Selby, an English naturalist and artist, produced a two-volume set that featured life-sized depictions of British birds, a departure from earlier works that used smaller formats. His background as both a scientist and an artist allowed him to render birds with remarkable accuracy and beauty.
![Roller M[ale]. Plate XXXIV.](https://storage.googleapis.com/raremaps/img/small/101182.jpg)