eee alin the nls and the lodgings to be had at private houses. Tp
ee ee i . # eackation takes place on the lake named for the first attempt.
ee 5 extended circle round the flocks of birds at one part of the
le by degrees, till the crews are within gunshot of
a partial discharge takes place at the

Many are killed on the spot; those

appointed.
the morning, at the sound of
The boats, filled with sportsmen, form
diminishing the circ

ake: the boats then draw 1,
Cee concerted signal,

At a well-known and pre
on the surface of the water.
s by flight, when a second discharge assails them

the intended victims.
unfortunate birds while swimming
which escape the first fire attempt to ene
and with broken wings
altercations, and return to land.
some other neighbouring lake, a second advance takes place

save themselve
i fall and loud cries are picked by the shooters, who
in the air; many more fall, Te oe i
After a short respite, the birds
divide the spoil, not without many pite,
having again collected together on that or
» sal is passed in making
A chasse, as it is termed, of a somewhat similar character,

iF a succession of attacks, each followed by a retreat
in the same manner, and the day

for a time to allow the birds to reassemble. .
Bastia, the capital of Corsica ; but in é
ar to act the part of sentinels outside the flock of Ducks ;

i f | this locality the Scoter is always accompanied
is performed near

by numbers of the Red-throated Diver, which appe
and so quick-sighted are these sentinels, and so instant ‘
swim under water, that hundreds of Scoters are killed to one couple of Diy ers. |

that this bird is strictly a winter visitant with us; but that it does remain

aneously do they dive, and so rapidly do they

Enough has been said to show
within the precincts of the British Islands until late in the spring, and even in some instances until summer
has fairly set m, is evident, Mr.

S =) yy Bead ees ra »
a writer in ‘ The Zoologist ° states that the L
July, fourteen having been observed off Wray
commence the task of nidification immediately after its return home.
record of its having bred in the British Islands. Mr. Dann states that it breeds in Scandinavia, where

Dann having seen flocks off Dungeness as late as the middle of Juve; and
ake of Windermere is visited every year, about the first week in
Castle at that period in 1848. The Scoter must, therefore,

Up to the present time we have no

Wallengren makes it a bird of his second or Birch-region, nesting as it does from 800 to 2000 feet below
the snow-line; and Mr. Procter found it breeding in Iceland, which is probably its most western limit, for
Professor Reinhardt does not include it among the birds of Greenland. Eastwardly, according to Pallas, it visits
the Caspian Sea. In the far north, the late Mr. John Wolley found it breeding at Muionioniska in Lapland,
late in the season; and Mr. Alfred Newton informs me that ‘it is plentiful enough in the interior of that
country, where it is known as the ‘ Sea-bird’ par eacellence, and its musical notes add to the pleasure with
which a naturalist explores the countless lakes of that desolate region.” The nest is generally placed in
some sheltered spot on the ground, and the eggs, which are six or seven in number, are of a pale buff slightly
tinged with green, somewhat more than two inches in length by about one inch and three-quarters in breadth.

The diving powers of the Scoter are as perfect as those of any other species which resorts to that mode of
procuring its food from the bottom of the turbulent sea; its whole structure, its flattened tarsi, large feet,
and dense plumage are all admirably fitted for the purpose. Its flight is rapid, straight, and of sufficient
duration to convey the bird from the sea to the inland lakes, or from one part of its feeding-ground to
another; generally, however, these passages from place to place are performed near the surface of the water;
but it is said to mount higher in the air when necessity requires it so to do.

The entire plumage of the male is deep black glossed with greenish blue; irides brown ; eyelash orange;
base of the bill bluish black, the remainder dull black, except a narrow line of orange down the middle of
the tubercle at the base, and the central portion of the upper mandible, which around the nostrils is orange,
and towards the tip yellow; legs and toes reddish black.

The female differs in being dark brown instead of black, in having the chin and throat greyish white, the
under surface silky brocoli-brown, and in the tubercle at the base of the bill less elevated.

Mr. A. Newton has kindly sent me the following description of the young before they are able to fly,
from Mr. Wolley’s ‘ Loose Memoranda.’

: Dull sooty black above, neutral tint beneath, the feathers towards the middle of the body shading into
white at the tips. Top of the head black to a little below the eye, where a light-grey patch commences.
Many of the light feathers tipped with darker colour, so as to give a somewhat pepper-and-salt effect. Under
wing-coverts tipped with white. Down greyish white. Nostrils nearly halfway between the base of the bill
and the tip, somewhat elevated towards the back. Nail of the bill very large and expanded. Inside of
mouth yellowish. Feet and shanks yellowish brown, darker at the joints.”

lhe Plate represents two males and a female, a trifle less than the size of life