AXD XEIGHBOURHOOD. 199 



common, especially on our eastern coasts, in autumn, 

 winter, and early spring. The principal breeding- 

 resorts of the Scoter in Europe are the northern 

 portions of Scandinavia and Russia ; it also breeds 

 in Iceland, and in small numbers in the north of 

 Scotland. The nests are said to be usually placed on 

 islands of freshwater lakes or the boggy moors in 

 their neighbourhood ; the eggs vary from 6 to 9 in 

 number, and are of a dull yellowish white. This 

 bird feeds entirely by diving ; its food consists of 

 molluscs, and its Hesh is dark and coarse, but in the 

 hands of a skilful cook, can be rendered tolerably 

 palatable. Mr. F. S. Mitchell, in his interesting work 

 ' The Birds of Lancashire,' informs us that great 

 numbers of Scoters are occasionally taken on the 

 shores of Furness, in what are commonly known 

 as " Douker-nets" ; he writes : — "These nets are of 

 various lengths, but mostly about four feet wide, 

 with a mesh of four inches. They are set on the 

 sands near where the birds have been feeding the 

 previous tide, this being evidenced by the droppings 

 they leave, and the holes bored by them in their 

 search for cockles and other small molluscs. Four 

 small stakes are driven into the sand, leaving about 

 fifteen inches visible, and the net is hung loosely 

 between them, one stake at each corner. When the 

 tide rises, and the Ducks come with it, whether they 

 dive head foremost into the nets, or get fast in them 

 from beneath, they are rapidly drowmed, and half a 

 cart-load is not considered a very extraordinary day's 

 catch." I must add, however, that many Scaups are 

 also taken in these nets, and probably in most cases 

 help considerably towards filling the Duck-carts. I 

 have had a few pinioned Scoters on my wild-fowl 



