\Sco"ter\, n. [Cf. Prov. E. scote to plow up.] (Zo["o]l.)
Any one of several species of northern sea ducks of the genus
{Oidemia}.
Note: The European scoters are {Oidemia nigra}, called also
      {black duck}, {black diver}, {surf duck}; and the
      velvet, or double, scoter ({O. fusca}). The common
      American species are the velvet, or white-winged,
      scoter ({O. Deglandi}), called also {velvet duck},
      {white-wing}, {bull coot}, {white-winged coot}; the
      black scoter ({O. Americana}), called also {black
      coot}, {butterbill}, {coppernose}; and the surf scoter,
      or surf duck ({O. perspicillata}), called also
      {baldpate}, {skunkhead}, {horsehead}, {patchhead},
      {pishaug}, and spectacled coot. These birds are
      collectively called also {coots}. The females and young
      are called gray coots, and brown coots.