Twenty-fib ST Annual meeting. 61 



Their nests are usually built on broken-down reeds or rushes, growing in water 

 from two to three feet deep, and made of decayed vegetation brought up from the 

 bottom. Eggs, two to five; dull bluish-white. A set of four eggs collected at Devil's 

 Lake, Dakota, June 1, 1884, measured 2.20x1.47, 2.26x1.47, 2.30x149, 2.32x1.50; in 

 form, vary from elliptical ovate to elongate ovate. 



Two sets of eggs, one of four, the other of five, taken by Capt. Chas. Bendire, 

 May 28, 1883, on a marsh in Klamath county, Oregon, average 2.31x1.52. He writes 

 that they often lay seven eggs, and possibly more. 



THE SURF SCOTER. 

 [Oidemia perspicillata Linn.) 



Habitat, northern North America; south in winter to Jamaica, Florida, Ohio 

 river, Kansas, and Lower California; accidental in Europe. A rare visitant; cap- 

 tured October 29, 1887, on the Kansas river, above the dam at Lawrence, by Mr. A. 

 L. Bennett, of Emporia. 



This species of the Sea Duck is abundant upon both coasts, and during the breed- 

 ing season, quite common upon the large northern inland waters; breeding from 

 Sitka, Alaska, and the Gulf of St. Lawrence north to the Arctic coast. Their food 

 consists largely of shell-fish, (the bivalve a favorite, the shells of which appear to 

 digest as easily as the mussels within them,) fishes and various forms of life also help 

 to make up the bill of fare. Their flesh is coarse, and in flavor rather rank. The 

 birds are at home as well in the surging surf as upon the smoother waters; resting 

 and sleeping at night out upon the open waters, they rise from the same in a running, 

 laborious manner, but when fairly on the wing, fly rapidly, and in stormy weather 

 hug close to the water. While feeding, are very active, constantly and rapidly div- 

 ing one after the other, a continual disappearing and popping up. 



From the following, it appears that the birds nest upon both marshy and dry 

 ground, and in the latter case, with no material except down, viz.: Audubon describes 

 a nest found (near Little Macatino, Gulf of St. Lawrence) well out upon a marsh, as 

 snugly placed amid the tall leaves of a bunch of grass, and raised fully four inches 

 above its roots. It was composed of withered and rotten weeds, the former being 

 circularly arranged over the latter, jiroducing a well-rounded cavity, six inches in 

 diameter, by two and one-half in depth. The borders of this inner cup were lined 

 with the down of the bird, in the same manner as the Eider Duck's nest, and in it 

 lay five eggs — 2.31x1.63 — about equally rounded at both ends, perfectly smooth, and 

 of a pale yellowish or cream color. Mr. McFarlane* found the birds breeding in 

 considerable numbers in the neighborhood of Fort Anderson, and desribes a nest 

 containing eight eggs, found June 25, as placed on a ridge of ground at the foot of 

 a dry, stunted pine, made of dark-colored down, being entirely concealed from view 

 by the lower branches of the pine tree. All of the nests found appear to have been 

 of the same style and pattern, and nothing is said of any other material than down 

 being used in building them. The number of eggs varied from five to eight, but the 

 latter number was found in only a single instance. 



CLARK'S NUTCRACKER. 

 (Picicorvus colunibianus Wils.) 

 Habitat, the high, coniferous forests of western North America; north to Alaska, 

 south to Arizona, east to the edge of the plains; accidental in Kansas. 



Mr. L. L. Jewell, of Irving, kindly sent me for examination a portion of the skin 

 as saved from a male bird, shot August 13, 1888, by Mr. Chas. Netz, near the south 



* North American Water Birds, B. B. & R., vol. 2, p. 102. 



