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This plate depicts a pair of Velvet Scoters, rendered with characteristic lifelike detail by Prideaux John Selby. The male, shown with its distinctively dark plumage and bold white eye patches, stands next to the female, whose brownish feathers offer more subdued coloration. he birds stand amidst aquatic vegetation, suggesting their natural coastal habitats.
The Velvet Scoter (Melanitta fusca) is a sea duck commonly found in northern Europe and Asia, inhabiting coastal marine environments. During the breeding season, it nests in freshwater lakes and rivers within forested areas, though it migrates to coastal waters for the winter months. The Velvet Scoter is a diving duck, foraging underwater for mollusks, crustaceans, and small fish. Known for its striking white wing patches, visible in flight, the species often forms large flocks offshore in winter. Its range extends from Scandinavia to the Baltic and Russian coasts, with migratory populations reaching as far south as the coasts of Western Europe and parts of the Black Sea.
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.
