A Nesting Haunt of the Scoter 



standing, the veteran at the oars was hard put to it to keep 

 the boat stern to wind. 



There was no rowing to be done, for the gale carried us 

 forward rapidly and we soon shot past the first island and 

 pulled the boat into the sheltered water 6n the leeward side. 

 In doing so we caused consternation amongst several tufted 

 ducks sheltering here with their broods, the mothers scatter- 

 ing and the little fellows swimming out into the rough waters, 

 all except one brood, which sensibly remained dodging about 

 under the shelter of the island. 



As we landed sandpipers called anxiously in their sharp, 

 whistling cry, and a tufted duck rose from her nest at our 

 feet. The watcher led the way to where he said was a 

 scoter's nest, but when at length, after much searching in the 

 thick undergrowth, this was found, the duck was off and the 

 eggs were carefully covered with down, which seemed to me 

 remarkably like that of a tufted duck. The watcher, how- 

 ever, assured me that he had actually seen a scoter rise from 

 this nest, but I was disappointed not to see the bird for my- 

 self. However, the second island lay near, and to this we 

 now made our way. Just before we shoved off I saw a lesser 

 black-backed gull flying in a suspicious manner over the wild 

 waters of the lough near where, I felt sure, some of the young 

 tufted ducks must be struggling with the waves. 



At length the guU swooped down and rose from the water's 

 surface with a young tufted duck in his beak. Several times 

 the gull tried vainly to swallow its victim, till at last the 

 unfortunate duckling disappeared down the murderer's 

 capacious throat. I was told that on this lough many enemies 

 lie in wait for young ducks. Both greater and lesser black- 

 backed gulls search the waters assiduously for any young 

 broods, and in the peaty depths are large pike which suck 

 down their small victims. 



The second island which we visited was considerably 

 larger than the first, so that there was more chance of our 

 landing unheard and unobserved by the birds nesting there. 



41 



