VOL. viii.J NOTES. 241 



established. In the incubation-period there is nearly always 

 some variation. Thus Mr. S. E. Brock gives the incubation 

 period as 13-14 days and the fledging-period as 13-14 days 

 {ZooL, 1910, p. 117). An egg hatched out in an incubator 

 on the 15th day (W. Evans). Naumann's statement that 

 incvibation lasts 16-17 days is evidently too high an estimate. 

 He states that the male relieves the female on the nest 

 during the mid-day hours, and further observations in this 

 particular are desirable. — F.C.R.J.] 



SURF-SCOTER IN KENT. 



On January 12th, 1914, I obtained an excellent view of a 

 Surf-Scoter {Oidemia perspicillata) on a pool near the sea 

 not far from Lydd, in Romney Marsh. During the previous 

 days a number of Scoters of both the commoner species 

 (0. nigra and 0. fiisca) had come ashore, hardly able to fly, 

 with their feathers fuU of oil and tar. On every pool near 

 the sea, and m various parts of the sand and shingle, stranded 

 Scoters were at the mercy of the local gunners, and I saw 

 numbers that had been shot. The Surf-Scoter was beyond 

 the region of the shooting, and was in company with Common 

 and Velvet. I first saw it sitting on a bank with its head 

 tucked away under its scapulars, the white patch on the back 

 of the neck showing at some distance. It did not move till 

 several birds on the water shuffled away, and I got within 

 fifty yards before it walked down into the pool and scuttled 

 across the water. Consequently I could see all the markings 

 near the beak very distinctly, and its red legs were remark- 

 ably conspicuous as it splashed along the water. The oval 

 patch of white on the back of the neck gave the bird a very 

 absurd appearance, or so it seemed to me. 



H. G._Alexandeb. 



ADULT SMEW IN SURREY. 



Amongst a lot of Pochard and Tufted Ducks on Frensham 

 Great Pond, on January 10th, 1915, I noted a beautiful 

 male Smew [Mergus alhellus) in adult plumage, diving 

 incessantly. M. V. Wenner. 



ON THE METHOD OF PROGRESSION ON LAND OF 

 A YOUNG RED-THROATED DIVER. 



In August, 1914, when at Golchika on the River Yenesei, 

 Siberia, I was given a young Red-throated Diver {Gavia 

 stellaia) hi down. Requiring a photograph of the bird m 



