268 THE SCOTTISH NATURALIST 



note which the duck Eider utters during the spring courting 

 antic. 



On ist November 1908 Velvet Scoter were seen display- 

 ing in Largo Bay ; they repeatedly stretched their heads up 

 stiffly, beaks pointing to the sky. This species and Black 

 Scoter were also observed displaying and chasing one 

 another excitedly in Largo Bay on 26th January 191 5 ; but 

 on both occasions it was only a faint reflection of what takes 

 place later in spring. Merganser begin displaying very 

 early in the year ; we have frequently seen them doing 

 courting antics in January. A typical note runs as follows : 

 27th January 19 10, in Largo Bay in hard frost. " Merganser 

 displaying like mad, crests expanded, and every bit of white 

 in their plumage showing, ducking and chasing each other as 

 if it were a balmy spring day." These displays naturally 

 become more pronounced and more frequent as the spring 

 advances. 



Gannets, too, indulge in autumn antics ; we have twice 

 seen this on the Bass, on 9th September 1907 and iSth 

 October 1910. On the latter date some adults were bowing 

 their heads and cocking their tails, wings half-extended, 

 then waggling their heads from side to side, anon standing 

 with head and neck extended stiffly, beak pointing straight 

 upwards. Instances of this autumn display are also given in 

 Mr Gurney's interesting book, The Gannet, p. 378. Cor- 

 morants and Shags have a wonderful spring display ; this is 

 mildly reproduced in autumn. On 7th October 1916 we saw 

 both species on a rock in Balcomie Bay, bending the head 

 and neck backwards till the beak touched the tail, which was 

 elevated and fanned out ; the head and neck were then slowly 

 swung forward as far as the position of the bird would admit, 

 in many cases below the level of the feet. At other times the 

 bill was opened widely and kept so for a considerable space 

 of time. A particularly interesting point about this special 

 instance of autumn display was that several of the birds that 

 were taking part in it were in immature plumage. 



In the Wader these autumn displays with which we are 

 dealing are not very uncommon. Oystercatchers are at all 

 times vociferous, and their spring piping note and curious 



