MORE OF THE WILD DUCK FAMILY 235 



cries and actions have attracted the attention of all 

 who have met with it. Men whom I knew in earlier 

 years, who had sailed in the staunch old luggers, 

 used to call these birds North Sea Ducks. As the 

 luggers were often far from land, in rough weather, 

 for various purposes, and in hard, dead winter, their 

 crews frequently saw the North Sea Ducks rising up 

 and sinking with the waves like corks. It must be 

 desperate weather that will drive this bird inshore 

 for food and shelter. 



Now and then a specimen would be brought home 

 for one of the local bird preservers ; and this, when 

 known to be in the window, would cause quite a 

 sensation in the place, and there would be consider- 

 able gatherings of spectators off and on for some 

 little time. Some of the lads knew the history of all 

 the web-footed fowl in the windows, so far as the 

 taking of them was concerned. They could tell how 

 the birds were got, and when ; for their fathers had 

 procured them. 



That heavily-built duck, the Black Scoter, visits us 

 in the autumn, and leaves our shores for breeding 

 purposes. Some are seen throughout the year, but 

 they are not nesting birds. Where the shores are 

 favourable to the growth of shell fish, there you will 

 see Scoters on the water. They are very sociable 

 in their habits ; large flocks of them can be seen in 

 favourable localities. But there are exceptions, and 

 I have seen solitary members of this species diving, 

 without a fowl of any kind to be seen anywhere 

 near. They are called Black Ducks on the coast, 



