608 BRITISH BIRDS. 



in the winter of 1865 at Holm, near Stornoway, in the Hebrides, and the 

 other at Swanbister, in Orkney, in March 1866 (B. of West of Scotland, 

 p. 383). A second example was obtained in Scilly in October 1867 

 (Rodd, ' Zoologist/ 1867, p. 1017). In February 1875 a Surf-Scoter was 

 seen in the Orkneys by Mr. T. M. Pike, who failed to secure it; and a 

 year later that gentleman shot a male in the same locality (' Zoologist/ 

 1879, p. 335). Two other examples are recorded by Capt. Clark-Kennedy 

 in 'The Field ' for March llth, 1876, one of which was obtained on Hoy 

 Island in 1872, and the other at the entrance of Loch Stennis, Stromness 

 (' Zoologist/ 1879, p. 337) . Another was shot at Stromness on the 23rd 

 of October 1880 (H. Langton, 'Zoologist/ 1881, p. 60). A second Irish 

 example is recorded by Sir Ralph Payne-Gallwey, who states that it was 

 shot in October 1880 at Clontarf, co. Dublin ('Fowler in Ireland/ p. 113); 

 and on the 9th of December 1882 a fine female was shot in the estuary 

 of the Ribble by Mr. R. H. Thompson (' Zoologist/ 1884, p. 29). Accord- 

 ing to Sclater the Surf-Scoter has never been kept in confinement. 



The Surf-Scoter is a Nearctic species, breeding from the Pacific to the 

 Atlantic, from lat. 70 down to about lat. 50, and wintering on the Pacific 

 coast as far south as Lower California, the shores of the Great Lakes, 

 and the Atlantic coast as far south as Jamaica. It is a rare visitor to 

 Greenland; and though it has not yet been obtained in Iceland, it has 

 occurred accidentally on the Bermudas, the Faroes, on the coasts of 

 Scandinavia, Heligoland, Germany, France, and in Switzerland. It has 

 no very near ally. 



The Surf-Scoter does not differ much in its habits from the Common 

 and Velvet Scoters : like them it is a migratory bird, its true home being 

 in the arctic regions of the American continent. It migrates from its 

 breeding-grounds across the land as well as down the coasts, and breaks the 

 journey on the shores of Hudson's Bay as well as on those of the great 

 interior lakes, remaining until it is compelled to retire south as the water 

 becomes frozen. It frequents the coast in great numbers from Nova 

 Scotia to Carolina, arriving in September and remaining until the end 

 of April, when it retires northwards to breed. On migration it often 

 associates with Long-tailed Ducks and with Velvet Scoters. Until mid- 

 winter these large flocks of Surf-Scoters gradually move southwards to 

 warmer water as food becomes scarce, but after February they gradually 

 retire north again. The Surf-Scoter is a very expert diver, and most of 

 its food is obtained by this means. Its flight is strong and powerful, but 

 it rises from the water with some difficulty. Dr. Cooper says that on the 

 Pacific coast of North America, where it is very abundant in winter, large 

 flocks remain behind after their companions have left for their breeding- 

 grounds. Many of the individuals in these flocks are very old birds. 

 Rainy seasons are frequently fatal to them ; and whilst moulting they 



