Ay eridiveciziths in their greatest breadth, more equally rounded “ both ie than a the shell per-
fectly smooth, ana of a uniform pale yellowish or cream colour. I Ay ae 1e oa but in the
Bete che same Gay met with several males by themselves, about four oH es distant from the marsh, as J
This induced me to believe that, like the Eider and other ducks that breed
males as soon as incubation commences. I regret that, notwithstanding
ring more nests or young birds. The Surf-Duck is a

was returning to the harbour.
in Labrador, the males abandon the fe
exertions, I did not succeed in discove
It is frequently observed fishing at the depth of several fathoms, and

aging billows, where it seems as unconcerned as if it were on the
5 5 *. . .

with considerable difficulty, and in this respect resembles
it flies with great rapidity and to a great distance,

all my further
powerful swimmer and an expert diver.
it floats buoyantly among the surf or the r
most tranquil waters. It rises on wing, however, ;
the Velvet Duck ; but when once fairly under weigh, be
passing close to the water during heavy gales, but at the height of forty or fifty yards in calm and pleasant
weather. It is uncommonly shy, and therefore difficult to be obtained, unless shot at while flying or when
a bay, or near the shore ; for it dives so suddenly as to elude the best
percussion-lock guns. The female, which was killed as she flew from Jue nest, uttered a rough, uncouth
somewhat resembling that of the Goosander on similar occasions ; and I have never heard any
I have never seen this bird on any freshwater lake or river in any part of the

asleep and, as it were, at anchor in

guttural cry,
other sound from either sex.
interior.”

I am indebted to the kindness of Mr. H. E. Dresser for the following interesting notes on the bird as seen
by him in Nova Scotia :—

« The Surf-Scoter is not uncommon on the coast of New Brunswick during its spring migration, and in
some seasons occurs in great numbers. This was the case in 1862, when I spent a few days at Lepreaux
Lighthouse, which is placed on a rocky point jutting out from the mainland into the Bay of Fundy. On
my arrival there on the 25th of April myriads of ducks were flying past, among which Surf-Scoters were
more numerous than any other species. They followed the line of the coast at a short distance from the
shore, and in passing the point generally steered close in, or flew over the end of the point itself. On the
26th I spent the day among the rocks; and J never recollect seeing waterfowl in such countless numbers as
I did on that day, all wending their way northward. Velvet, Common, and especially Surf-Scoters, were the
most numerous ; but there were also many Eiders, Brents, Long-tailed Ducks, with a few Harlequins, Great
Northern Divers, and some others. The Surf-Scoters flew in large compact flocks, from eight to ten deep.
I determined the length of the flocks by watching them as they passed certain points, the distance between
which was known to me; and I thus found that one compact flock was at least half a mile in length, a second
reached from one point to another, distant nearly a mile and a quarter. I made several very telling shots
amongst them, knocking over eight at one discharge, and six and four at a double shot, though I was only
using a light fifteen-bore gun. I found them, however, very hard to recover; for during the time the dog
was retrieving them one or two were sure to come to and paddle off, and the sea was too rough to go out in
a boat to pick up the cripples. ‘The males proved to be far more numerous than the females, of which sex I
only killed three during the whole day. The flesh of the Scoter is generally considered very unpalatable ;
but during my stay the lighthouse-keeper’s wife gave us some capital dishes composed of it. Perhaps hunger
was the sauce that made it so pleasant to me; but I suspect that the manner in which they were prepared
had a great deal to do with it; for I have repeatedly tried the experiment when camping on the sea-shore, but
always failed in rendering it agreeable.”

Professor Nilsson states, in his ‘ Fauna of Scandinavia,’ that the Surf-Scoter is so rare in that part of the
world that it had only occurred once or twice,—the first time in 1833, when the specimen from which his
description and figure was taken was killed in Kazesuando, and sent to the Stockholm Museum by the Rev.
L. L. Lestadius ; the second was killed at Calmar on the 14th of June 1846, and was sent to the same
museum by the Pilot Wirsén.

In our islands, examples have been procured on the coasts of Orkney; and the late Robert Dunn states
ss he saw a specimen in Rona’s Voe, Shetland, in June 1847. I have myself had an example from the
Frith of Forth ; Mr. Bartlett had one sent to him for preservation, as mentioned in ‘ The Naturalist,’ vol. ul.
De 420. In September 1865, Mr. Rodd, of Penzance, informe
Surf-Scoter, which was captured in a disabled state b
collection was brought to him by a man w

d me that he had just seen a splendid male
y a boy at Scilly, and that a specimen in his own
ho said he had picked it up within reach of the shore. Still

more recently a pamalonwas : 4 2
nt ya fine male was shot by Mr. J. H. Dunn near Stromness, at the end of March 1866. It is now
in the possession of Vauncy Harpur-Crewe, Esq.

The female differs i e € i j f e b
‘ fi om th ale C i ee ir e y 1
m al 1n having th entire plum ag 0 th od dull brownish black, and 1

bill, and the patches of white on the head and the back of the neck,

n on reference reduced fonre of th; .
‘OnE : ee to the reduced figure of this sex on the opposite Plate, where two males are
represented of the size of life.

being devoid of the rich colouring of the
as will be see