AMONG THE WATER FOWL 



nearly always good, though it is apt to make the sea 

 rough for boats. The gunners at Cape Sable, Nova 

 Scotia, think that the first day of a southerly wind 

 is one of the best times. Low temperature also 

 helps to keep the fowl on the move. The worst 

 weather for a flight is a pleasant, warm day, calm or 

 with an off-shore wind. The time of the day is also 

 a factor. The first two or three hours after dawn 

 are the best. Often fowl fly well all the morning, 

 but usually by noon, or at the latest the middle of 

 the afternoon, the flight is about over, though 

 occasional flocks may be seen till dusk. 



Under the head of the Scoters, or "Coots," as 

 the gunners call them, come three different sorts. 

 The Surf Scoter is the commonest. The handsome 

 black male, with white on the head, is popularly 

 called the "Skunk-head Coot," as though it were a 

 different species from its mate and young, which 

 are known as the common "Gray Coot." Next in 

 abundance is the "White-winged Coot," distin- 

 guishable by its larger size and white bar on each 

 wing. The main plumage of the male is black, 

 while the females and young are of a duller, more 

 rusty hue. Last, yet fairly common, is the Ameri- 

 can or Black Scoter, nicknamed "Butter-bill Coot," 

 on account of the conspicuous patch of yellow skin 

 at the base of the bill, about the color of a lump of 

 butter. It is only the male that has this and is thus 

 named, its whole plumage being deep black. The 

 female and young are confused with those of the 

 Surf Scoter under the name of " Gray Coot." The 

 best way to tell them apart which very few gunners 

 can do is by the bill, the plumage being a good 



