THK sriU' SCOTKU. 



Ml-. Wilson describes the Surf Scoter as confined to the shores and bays of the sea, 

 particuhirly wlicrc tho waves roll over the sandy beach. Tlicir food consists principally 

 of small bivalve shell-fish, spout-fish, and others that lie in the sand near its surface. 

 For these they dive almost constantly, both in the sandy bays and amidst the tumbling 

 surf. They seldom or never visit tb.c snlt marshes. 



^Ir. Audubon's account furnishes many interesting- particidars, and a poi'ti(jnof it is as 

 follows : — "While proceeding- towards the sterile country of I/abrador, in IS-I:', on board 

 tlie Ilipley. I found tlie waters of the Gulf of St. Ti;iwrence alive with ducks of different 

 species. The nearer we approached the coast, the more numerous did they become ; and 

 of the nuiuy kinds that presented themselves to our anxious gaze, the surf duck was 

 certainly not the least numerous. It is true that in tlie noble bays of our own coast, in 

 the .Sound between New York and the Hook, on the broader waters of the Tihesapeake, 

 and beyond them to tlu" mouths of tlu» Mi.ssi.ssippi, I had seen thousands of surf ducks; 

 but the numbers that pas.sed the sliorcs of Labrador, bound for the far north, exceeded 

 all my previous conceptions. For more than a \\-eok after wi^ had anclun-ed in the lovely 

 harbour of Little Macatina I luid Ixen anxiously .searchiug for tlie nest of this species, 

 but in vain. At length, I found tliat a few pairs had remained in the neighbourhood, 

 and one morning, while in the cohipany of Captain Emery, searching- for the nests 

 of the red-breasted merganser, over a vast oozy and ti'eacherous fresh-water marsh, 

 1 suddenly started a female surf duck from her treasure. We were then about five miles 

 distant from our harboui-, from which our party had come in two boats, and fully five and a 

 half miles from the waters of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Themarsh was about three miles in 

 length. The nest was snugly placed amid the tall leaves of a bunch of grass, and raised 

 fully four inches above its roots. It was entirely composed of withered and rotten weeds, 

 the former being circularly arranged over the latter, producing ^vell-roundetl cavity, 

 six inclies in diameter, by two and a half in dejjth. The borders of this inner 

 cup were lined with the clown of the bird, in the same manner as the eider duck's nest, 

 and in it lay five eggs, the smallest number I have ever found in any duck's nest. They 

 were two inches and two and a-half eighths In length, by one inch and five-eigliths in 

 their greatest breadth ; more equally rounded at both ends than usual ; the shell perfectly 

 smooth, and of a uniform pale yellowish or cream colour. I took them on board along 

 with the female, which was .shot as she rose from the nest. We .saw no male bird near 

 the spot ; but, in the course of the same day, met with several males by themsehes, about 

 four miles distant from the marsh, as we were returning to the harbour. This induced 

 me to believe, that. Like the eider and other ducks that breed in Labrador, the males 

 abandon the females as soon as incubation commences. I regret that, notwithstanding- 

 all my further exertions, I did not succeed in discovering more nests or young birds. 

 The female, which was killed as she flew off" from the nest, uttered a rough, uncouth, 

 guttural cry, somewhat resembling that of the goosander on similar occasions; and I 

 have never heard any other sound from either sex. Tlic surf duck is a powerful swimmer 

 and an expert diver ; it is frequently observed fishing at the depth of several fathoms ; 

 and it floats buoyantly among the surf or the raging billows, where it seems as uncon- 

 cerned as if it were on the most tranquil waters. I have never seen this species on any 

 fresh-water lake or river in any part of the interior, and, therefore, consider it as truly 

 a marine duck." 



* Ouliliiia ]'oi-^piciH;it;K — i-'k-iu. 



