OCCASIONAL NOTES. 3385 
frequent the oak woods, and may often be seen, as well as heard, perched on 
leafless lower branches.—Henry Hapriecp (Ventnor, Isle of Wight). 
Tue Surr Scorer 1n Orxney.—A specimen of this handsome North 
American duck was obtained by me in Orkney, in February, 1876, and 
I believe no record of the occurrence was made in ‘ The Zoologist’ at the 
time. (It was recorded in ‘ The Field,’ 19th February, 1876.—Ep.] It is 
well known that this bird is occasionally to be met with amongst the sounds 
of this group of islands, but as regards the frequency of the occurrence a 
good deal of uncertainty seems to exist. For part of this Messrs. Baikie 
and Heddle have to answer, as in their work they describe them as 
frequenting the sounds in small flocks during the winter. This statement 
has been copied by other writers, and so the error has a good chance of 
being perpetuated. It is, of course, a case of mistaken identity, the Velvet 
Scoter being the bird met with in the way mentioned. As regards the 
Surf duck, there can be no doubt that occasionally—I believe a careful 
observer would be able to say almost annually—specimens are to be met 
with, in some place or other, amongst the bays and channels with which 
this northern group is so indentated. [Dr. Rae has so stated in ‘The 
Field,’ 18th March, 1876, remarking, “In the latter part of September or 
during October I have seen one or more in Orkney for the last ten years in 
the large bay which separates Kirkwall from Firth-and Rendall.” — Eb. } 
Where the Velvet ducks are wont to congregate the Surf Scoter is most 
likely to be found, since it seems to be fond of company. [This is 
confirmed by Dr. Rae in the note above referred to—Ep.] A female bird 
might very easily escape notice; but not so the male, the white patches on 
head and neck render it recognisable at a considerable distance, even when 
surrounded by the Velvet ducks, so closely resembling it in general 
appearance. My own experience of the species is limited to two examples, 
which, however, considering the limited number of British specimens 
referred to in the ‘ Handbook of British Birds,’ is a fair number to have 
come under the observation of one person, and makes one inclined to think 
that the list given might be enlarged. In addition to those which I myself 
saw “in the flesh,” I have knowledge of two others. As to the birds to 
which I can refer as an eye-witness: in February, 1875, while stopping at 
Stromness for the purpose of collecting, I went down Hoy Sound towards 
the island of Bara in a yawl, knowing that the sound between it and Rysa 
Little was frequented from October to March by numbers of the Velvet 
Scoter. The first lot we fell in with consisted of four birds, just off the 
small semi-detached N.W. corner of the island known as the Calf of Bara. 
On getting near I saw a white-headed bird amongst them, which I at first 
took for a Long-tailed Duck, Harelda glacialis, which also frequents this 
sound; but soon there was no mistaking the bird’s identity—it was an 
adult male Surf Scoter. We sailed up within thirty yards before the birds 
