8i6 TFIE SL'RF SCOTER. 



The lu-ad nf the male Surf Scdter ])i"esents one of the nuist bizarre 

 appearances in nature. It has only the Tufted I'liftin for a rival, and 1 

 think that the oilds are even here. Try to conjure before your mind's eye 

 the colorings of the Scoter's bill alone: black, white, pink, }ello\v, cadmium, 

 oranye, and carmine, and those displayed not only in transitions but in the 

 m(}St abrupt contrasts. Add a swelling which involves not only the base of 

 the bill but the whole anterior portion of the head; then a white eye; then 

 U\n patches of dazzling white on black ground for the rest, and you ha\e this 

 Ijeau Brunimel of the seas. 



But the ladies like him : they have to, for they are such homely bodies 

 ihenisehes that the perversity of attraction must be mutual. 1 haxx- seen 

 a Surf Scoter courtsliip in mid April. Five males are devoting themselves 

 to one female. They chase each other about viciously, but no harm seems 

 to come of their threats; and they crowd around the female as tho to 

 force a decision. She in turn chases them oti" with lowered head and 

 outstretched neck and great show of displeasure. Now and then one flees 

 in pretemled fright and with great commotion, only to settle down at a 

 dozen vards anil come sidling back. If she will deign a moment's atten- 

 tion, the tlattered gallant dijis his head and scoots lightly under the surface 

 of the water, slmwering himself repeatedly with his Huttering wings. One 

 suitor swims about dizzily, half submerged, while another rises from the 

 water re])eatedh-, a|)]iarently to show the fair one how little assistance he 

 reijuires from his feet in starting, a challenge some of his corpulent rivals 

 dare not accept, I ween. I have watched them thus for half an hour, off and 

 on, and the \illains still pursue her. 



Siu'f Scoters nio\e about freely in companies of their own kind, or 

 associate to some extent with the allied species. Of tlie almost incredible 

 numbers found in .\laska we know little, and there is no reason to suppose 

 tliat an\' nest with us. 



"On August _\:;, 1878. I visited Stewart Island, about ten miles to the 

 seaward of Saint Michaels. As I neared the island in my kyak I found 

 the water literallv black with the males of this species, which were united 

 in an enormous flock, forming a continuous band around the outer end of 

 the island for a (hstance of about ten miles in length, and from one-half 

 to three-fourtlis of a mile in width. .As the boat approached them those 

 nearest began to rise hea\il\- b\- aid of wings and feet from the glassy 

 surface of the gentlv undulating but calm water. The first to rise com- 

 municated the alarm to those beyond, until as far as could be seen the water 

 was covered with flapping wings and the air was filled with a roar like that of 

 a cataract. The rapid vibrations ])roduced in the air by tens of thousands of 

 wings could be plainly felt" (Nelson). 



