72 THE BIRDS OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



inland. Either the bird has changed its habits or been over- 

 looked, for it frequently visits the Cheshire meres, and Mr. 

 C. Oldham has often seen it in Hertford and 'Buckingham. 

 Not only are these visits in April, when there is an occasional 

 and possibly regular overland migration, but little parties 

 appear from time to time in July. Off the North Wales and 

 Lancashire coasts the bird is frequently in immense num- 

 bers, the sea, so far as the eye can reach, dotted with 

 ducks, or lined with little strings flying swiftly close to the 

 waves. I have watched what Mr. Bolam describes, the birds 

 feeding on a falling tide, those furthest out rising to fly shore- 

 wards over their companions and dropping \vhere the waves are 

 breaking. I have seen them flying in long lines far out, 

 undulating like distant steamer smoke, their numbers countless ; 

 yet we are told that the bird is uncommon on the west coast ! 

 At close quarters the buoyancy of the swimming bird is very 

 noticeable ; it constantly uplifts itself to flap its wings after 

 its frequent dives and shakes a shower of drops from its bill. 

 If disturbed it swims quickly, the head well forward, bobbing 

 like that of the Moorhen, and utters a low tuk^ tick. In flight, 

 when its wings whistle, it has a harsh, grating call, but the 

 courtship note is more melodious. 



The duration of timed dives varied from sixteen to forty-nine 

 seconds. Molluscs of various kinds are the chief food ; one young 

 bird that I examined had fed exclusively on Tellina balthiai, 

 but Mr. G. Bolam found one full of nothing but small marine 

 crustaceans. Mr. R. W. Jones notices that the summering 

 birds in North Wales regularly pass in flocks in the morning 

 and afternoon between their feeding grounds near shore and 

 some night haunt at sea, suggesting that they are normally 

 diurnal feeders. Dr. Patten says that when diving the Scoter 

 *' disappears without warning or splash," and does not take a 

 header ; but surely the amount of effort depends upon the 

 depth of the water. I have seen the bird dive with a graceful 



