SURF SCOTER. 486 



sippi, I had seen thousands of Surf Ducks ; but the 

 numbers that passed the shores of Labrador, bound for the 

 far north, exceeded all my previous conceptions. For more 

 than a week after we had anchored in the lovely harbour of 

 Little Macatina, I had been anxiously searching for the nest 

 of this species, but in vain. At length I found that a few 

 pairs had remained in the neighbourhood, and one morning, 

 while searching for the nests of the Eed-breasted Merganser, 

 over a vast oozy and treacherous fresh- water marsh, I suddenly 

 started a female Surf Duck from her treasure. The marsh 

 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 a well-rounded cavity, 

 six inches in diameter, by two and a 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, 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-eighths 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 themselves, 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. 

 Notwithstanding all my further exertions, I did not suc- 

 ceed in discovering more nests or young birds. The 

 female, which was killed as she flew oft' from the nest, 



* Nests found by Mr. MacFarlane on the Lower Anderson River were situated 

 at the bases of dry stunted pines, the lower branches of which concealed the 

 sitting birds from view ; the eggs were from six to eight in number ; of a 

 uniform ivory white colour ; average measurements 2 '3 by I'G in. 



