SURF-SCOTER. 609 



become very thin, and in some cases blind, swimming about close to the 

 shore or wharves, quite regardless of danger. 



The food of the Surf-Scoter is composed principally of mollusks and 

 shell-fish ; but small fish have been found in its stomach, which often con- 

 tains quantities of loose gravel. It is said to be a remarkably silent bird, 

 but the female usually utters a guttural cry as she rises disturbed from 

 her nest. 



The Surf-Scoter frequents wooded country in which are scattered lakes 

 and streams, as well as the tundras, near the Arctic Sea, for breeding- 

 purposes. It delights to frequent the secluded banks of rivers that flow 

 into the lakes or so often connect them by winding " porterages. " It 

 appears to be rather a late breeder. MacFarlane obtained a nest, con- 

 taining eight eggs, on the Lower Anderson River on the 25th of June, and 

 another, in which there were six eggs, on the 5th of July. One nest found 

 by MacFarlane was built on the margin of a small lake ; but another was 

 made on a ridge of ground at the foot of a dry stunted pine-tree entirely 

 concealed by the lower branches. Other nests have been found in similar 

 situations. The nest is described as being very similar to that of the 

 American form of the Velvet Scoter, which is made of moss, twigs, and 

 various plants matted together, large and almost flat, and placed in a 

 depression in the ground. Those found by MacFarlane appear to have 

 been made of little else but down and a few feathers. These latter 

 materials are added, as is the case with most Ducks, as the clutch of 

 eggs approaches its full number. Audubon, who found the Surf-Scoter 

 breeding in Labrador, gives some particulars of its nesting-habits. He 

 discovered a nest in a large freshwater marsh, built in a tuft of grass, 

 and about four inches above the surrounding ground. It was made of 

 dead and decaying weeds, the inner cavity, which was about six inches in 

 diameter, being surrounded with down plucked from the female. It con- 

 tained five eggs. He shot the female as she rose from her nest, but no 

 glimpse was obtained of her mate. He afterwards met with a party of 

 male Surf-Scoters in a place about four miles distant from the marsh, so 

 that it is very probable that the drakes desert the ducks as soon as the 

 latter begin to sit. 



The eggs of the Surf-Scoter are from five to eight in number. They 

 are pale greyish buff when newly laid, with a slight pinkish tinge, smooth 

 iti texture, and with little gloss. The eggs obtained by MacFarlane vary in 

 length from 2-3 to 2'25 inch, and in breadth from 1'75 to T6 inch; they 

 are smaller than those of the Black Scoter and the Velvet Scoter, but 

 otherwise closely resemble them. The down of the Surf-Scoter does not 

 appear to have been carefully described. 



The Surf-Scoter very closely resembles in its winter habits the other 

 " Black Ducks " that swarm upon the coasts. It is not often pursued by 



