SEA-DUCKS 379 



scoters, and the winter contingent of the smaller species, 

 both arrive here in October and withdraw at the end of 

 March. Beyond seeing them at sea, I have not had 

 much opportunity of observing the habits of the velvet 

 duck. 



Such are the regular " sea-ducks " ; but in the course of 

 a day's cruise, one falls in with other kinds. Thus one often 

 sees sheld-ducks spending the day at rest on the waves 

 ■ — sometimes seventy or eighty strong — and is almost sure 

 to come across the local stock of mallard and wigeon 

 sitting along-shore and close in to the line of breakers. 



The pleasure of shooting under canvas is enhanced by 

 the constant opportunities it affords of observing various 

 wild creatures other than the Anatidae. During mid-winter 

 we have little auks from Spitsbergen, and the pretty coral- 

 footed sea-pigeon, or tystie from Shetland. These are 

 replaced as spring approaches by the arrival (in March) of 

 the puffins. The two first-named are more or less oceanic 

 in their resorts, but the common guillemot and razor-bill 

 are ubiquitous, and hardly take the trouble to get out of 

 the coble's way. Then there are the large divers (Colymbi) 

 — I have shot all the three species- — and four kinds of 

 grebe : one of these, however (the eared grebe) is decidedly 

 rare. Lastly, there are the seals — weird, uncouth am- 

 phibians — as they silently gaze from the deep with great 

 mild eyes, they impress one rather as ghostly relics of some 

 long-past Arctic epoch than as contemporary denizens of 

 British Seas ! Great Grey Seals {Halichcertis gryphus) 

 still breed at certain spots on the north-east coast, bring- 

 ing out their young in November on some remote little islet 

 or "skeir" of rock, just awash at full tide and usually 

 surrounded by dangerous surf. On these islets half a 

 dozen or more of their bulky forms may be seen basking 



