1880. ] Goss, Additions to Catalogue of Kansas Birds. 123 
spring of 1882, I had a good opportunity to observe them on the waters 
of Puget Sound. The birds ride the water lightly, and their silky plu- 
mage, slender build, long waving necks and graceful carriage can but 
attract the attention of the most indifferent of observers. Like all of the 
race they are expert swimmers and divers, and can quietly sink out of 
sight in the water without an apparent motion, but their ordinary man- 
ner of diving is to spring forward with a stroke of their feet, almost 
clearing the water and disappearing about three feet from the starting 
point. They are at home on the waves, and it is almost impossible to 
force the birds to take wing, but when in the air they fly with great 
rapidity, with neck and feet stretched out to their full extent, and in 
alighting, often do not attempt to slacken their speed, but strike the water 
with partially closed wings with a force that carries them on the sur- 
face from twenty to forty feet. 
Their nests are usually built on broken down reeds or rushes growing 
in water from two to three feet deep, and made of decayed vegetation 
brought up from the bottom. Eggs, two to five, dull bluish white. A 
set of four eggs collected at Devil’s Lake, Dakota, June 1, 1884, measures 
2.20 X 1.47, 2.26 X 1.47, 2.30 X 1.49, 2.32 X 1.50 inches. In form they vary 
from elliptical ovate to elongate ovate. 
Two sets of eggs, one of four, the other of five, taken by Capt. Charles E. 
Bendire, May 28, 1883, on a marsh in Klamath County, Oregon, average 
2.31 X 1.52. He writes that they often lay seven eggs, and possibly more. 
Oidemia perspicillata. SurF Scorer.—A rare visitant; captured Octo- 
ber 29, 1887, on the Kansas River, above the dam, at Lawrence, by Mr. 
A. L. Bennett of Emporia.* 
This species of Sea Duck is abundant upon both coasts, and during the 
breeding season quite common upon the large northern inland waters; 
breeding from Sitka, Alaska, and the Gulf of St. Lawrence north to the 
Arctic coast. Their food consists largely of shell-fish (the mussel is a favo- 
rite, the shells of which appear to digest as easily as the animal within 
them) and fishes, and various forms of life also help to make up the bill 
of fare. Their flesh is coarse, and rather rank in flavor. The birds are 
at home as well in the surging surf as upon the smoother waters, resting 
and sleeping at night out upon the open waters. They rise from the surface 
in a running, laborious manner, but when fairly on the wing fly rapidly, 
and in stormy weather hug close to the water. While feeding they are 
very active, constantly and rapidly diving one after the other, a continual 
disappearing and popping up. 
Picicorvus columbianus. CLARKE’s NUTCRACKER.—Mr. L. L. Jewell of 
Irving kindly sent me for examination a portion of the skin saved from 
a male bird shot Aug. 13, 1888, by Mr. Chas. Netz near the south line of 
Marshall County. Dr. Cooper met with a straggling pair at Fort Kear- 
ney, Nebraska, and Mr. G. S. Agersborg, a pair in southeastern Dakota, 
but like the Kansas visitor, accidental wanderers. It is seldom found 
*See Auk, Vol. V, p. 202. 
