290 BIRDS OF NEW ENGLAND AND EASTERN NEW YORK 



Im. $ . — Top of head dark . brown, white stripe from below 

 the eye to back of neck ; back grayish-brown ; under parts dull 

 whitish. Bill short and broad. 



Nest, of reeds, built up out of the water. Eggs, dull white. 



The Ruddy Duck occurs as a migrant both on the 

 coast and on inland waters in March and April, and in 

 October and November. It breeds rarely in northeastern 

 Maine, and has also been found breeding in Rhode Island 

 and on Cape Cod. It was formerly a common migrant, but 

 is now rapidly decreasing in numbers. It is as quick at 

 diving as a grebe, and has the latter's power of sinking till 

 only the bill is exposed. It may be recognized by its 

 small size, squat appearance, and by the white or whitish 

 sides of the head. The tail is often conspicuously cocked 

 up, the short stilf feathers showing separately. " When 

 rising from the water, it runs on the surface for some dis- 

 tance and generally against the wind . . . when on the 

 wing, it flies low along the surface of the water, with a rapid 

 beat of its broad wings, making a short plump figure, quite 

 uncommon for a duck" (Langille). 



Surf Scoter. Oldemia persjncillata 



20.00 



Ad. $. — Patch 071 forehead and one on hind neck white ^ rest 

 of plumage black; bill showing nuich red, orange, and yellow; 

 feet red or reddish-orange. Ad. 9- — Top of head black; spot 

 behind eye and one in front of eye whitish; rest of plumage sooty- 

 brown, paler below. Im. — Similar to 9 • 



The three Scoters, or Coot, as the gunners call them 

 (see, however, p. 276), are migrants and winter visitants 

 along the coast of New York and New England. In winter 

 the greatest numbers are found south of Cape Cod, where 

 the birds gather in enormous beds in the shoal waters about 

 Nantucket and south of Long Island. The first migrants 

 appear in September, and the last go north in May, but 



