1908] Bird Notes from S.W. Nova Scotia 237 



to seaward a different and more varied lot of fowl came under 

 observation. The most abundant species were the eiders and 

 scoters. The former are known to the fishermen as "sea-ducks," 

 the three species of the latter being collectively called "coots' 

 and differentiated by their most prominent characteristics. 

 Thus the American scoter is known as "butter-nose coot" from 

 the yellow and orange knob at the base of its upper mandible. 

 The surf scoter from the white spots about its head and nape is 

 called "patch-poll coot," while the velvet scoter is quite properly 

 called the "white-winged coot," from its conspicuous wing 

 patches. None of these birds were seen in a state of rest during 

 my stay about the locality, though hundreds were seen daily, 

 always in long wavering strings passing the outer points and 

 ledges uniformly moving to eastward. Taking advantage of 

 this regularity of the birds' movements, the fishermen gunners 

 would put out in their shooting skiffs and stringing out over 

 the water, perhaps ten or twenty boats in all, each a couple of 

 gunshots fromi the other and partly concealed by the swell and 

 waves of the sea, woiild intercept the flocks as they came along, 

 often causing great destruction in their ranks. 



A few "old squaws" and black guillemots, an occasional 

 puffin, auk, loon, jaeger and a few others were also noted while 

 on these shooting trips, well out from land. 



On April 23rd the first gannets were seen. A "flight" of 

 them commenced about 10 o'clock, a.m., and continued through- 

 out the day, the birds passing, singly or in scattered flocks, 

 westward!}^ along the shore some 100-200 yards off. These 

 gannets have a most characteristic mode of flight it is remark- 

 ably straightforward, the wings beating with a uniform 

 regularity and certain deliberation that forces them into the 

 face of storm with apparent ease. Their beaks seem constantly 

 to point downward, the birds always on the lookout for their 

 finny prey beneath, upon which they drop like bullets as soon 

 as seen. For several days following, this "flight" of gannets 

 was noted between the same hours and in the same direction 

 and over the same waters. At the mouth of the Bay of Fundy 

 is a rocky island known as Gannet Rock, where formerly large 

 numbers of these birds bred and raised their young. 



On the morning of April 24th during a heavy southeast 

 storm, which piled great breakers roaring upon the beach, I 

 noted the first "shore bird" arrival for the season. Above the 

 thunder of the surf, while walking along the beach, I heard a 

 soft, flute-like note a plaintive "phe-blo," it sounded and 

 upon looking about discovered its origin in a little, dusky- 

 collared, grev and white bird, scurrying about among the 



