Sco·ter n.  Zool. 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 (Oidemia fusca). The common American species are the velvet, or white-winged, scoter (Oidemia Deglandi), called also velvet duck, white-wing, bull coot, white-winged coot; the black scoter (Oidemia Americana), called also black coot, butterbill, coppernose; and the surf scoter, or surf duck (Oidemia 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.
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 Vel·vet n.
 1. A silk fabric, having a short, close nap of erect threads.  Inferior qualities are made with a silk pile on a cotton or linen back, or with other soft fibers such as nylon, acetate, or rayon.
 2. The soft and highly vascular deciduous skin which envelops and nourishes the antlers of deer during their rapid growth.
 Cotton velvet, an imitation of velvet, made of cotton.
 Velvet cork, the best kind of cork bark, supple, elastic, and not woody or porous.
 Velvet crab Zool., a European crab (Portunus puber).  When adult the black carapace is covered with a velvety pile.  Called also lady crab, and velvet fiddler.
 Velvet dock Bot., the common mullein.
 Velvet duck. Zool. (a) A large European sea duck, or scoter (Oidemia fusca).  The adult male is glossy, velvety black, with a white speculum on each wing, and a white patch behind each eye. (b) The American whitewinged scoter. See Scoter.
 Velvet flower Bot., love-lies-bleeding. See under Love.
 Velvet grass Bot., a tall grass (Holcus lanatus) with velvety stem and leaves; -- called also soft grass.
 Velvet runner Zool., the water rail; -- so called from its quiet, stealthy manner of running. [Prov. Eng.]
 Velvet scoter. Zool. Same as Velvet duck, above.
 Velvet sponge. Zool. See under Sponge.
 in velvet having a coating of velvet2 over the antlers; in the annual stage where the antlers are still growing; -- of deer.
 Div·er n.
 1. One who, or that which, dives.
    Divers and fishers for pearls.   --Woodward.
 2. Fig.: One who goes deeply into a subject, study, or business. “A diver into causes.”
 3. Zool. Any bird of certain genera, as Urinator (formerly Colymbus), or the allied genus Colymbus, or Podiceps, remarkable for their agility in diving.
 Note: ☞ The northern diver (Urinator imber) is the loon; the black diver or velvet scoter (Oidemia fusca) is a sea duck. See Loon, and Scoter.
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