146 SEA FOWL IX NOVA SCOTIA — GILPIN. 



I note a surf scoter (0. perspiliata), a young male, as early as 

 August 8, 1879, shot at Digby, evidently a young bird of the 

 year's ; a very early date. From this date to November, the 

 surf scoter, the velvet scoter (0 fusca) and yellow-billed or bot- 

 tle-nosed scoter (0. americana) come flying in the Bay of Fundy 

 in small flocks, and remain all winter. I have never noticed the 

 black scoter (0. nigra), though given in Wilson, Nuttall and 

 Baird. The American student must feel obliged to Dr. Coues 

 for returning these species to one genus, and in studying their 

 common habits, forms, and especially common colour, and pro- 

 tuberance at base of bills, wonder how any naturalist, either 

 cabinet or field, could ever have divided them into two or three 

 genera. The old wife, or old squaw, comes to us about the same 

 dates with these, and is often seen in company, either flying or 

 pressed to a lee shore by heavy weather, sitting upon the waters. 

 The eiders come in rather later, but are sometimes numerous in 

 Spring. Whilst the semi-annual Fall migration of these sea 

 duck are scarcely noticed, except by naturalists and gunners, 

 whilst in the pursuit of food or warmer, seas, they seem leisurely 

 to fill our shores and pass our rocky promontories, whilst some 

 remain all winter, seemingly, as we are unable to say they may 

 not be successive flocks in passing, the returning Spring seems 

 to awake new thoughts and new feelings in all these migratorv 

 fowl. Sometimes in February, oftener during March, the garrots 

 cease their pepetual diving; the males, with tumid heads and 

 throats, and more brilliant and purple green reflections, swim in 

 restless circles around the sombre female which, half buried in 

 water, with extended neck and flattened body, evade his ap- 

 proach. The glass-like water is thrown into mimic surf by their 

 play. Or the male throws his purple head far backwards till it 

 rests upon his back, and a short shrill cry comes across the water 

 from his upturned bill. The old wives, a little seaward, are play- 

 ing the same antics, and a prolonged note, much like a distant 

 bell-buoy, directs you to the male, with creamy and pouty head, 

 long snowy axilleries falling athwart a velvet black back, and 

 long tail carried straight and high, is circling around his greyish 

 mates. The coloured gentry in these magic reels, the scoters, 



