438 THE GAME BIRDS AND WILD FOWL 



straggler to Greenland and the Faroes, and has occurred on the 

 coasts of HeligoUnd, Scandinavia, Germany, and France, and 

 inland as far as Switzerland. 



Allied Forms. — None of sufficient propinquity to call for 

 notice. 



Time during which the Surf Scoter may be taken.— 



August I St to March ist;. otherwise by authority of owner or 

 occupier of land. 



Habits. — The migrations and habits of this Nearctic Scoter 

 very closely resemble those of the preceding species. Its grand 

 summer quarters are in the Arctic and subarctic regions of 

 British North America. From the most northerly of these it 

 begins to retire early in September, and as the autumn and 

 winter advances it slowly works south, not only along the coast, 

 but across country by way of the great lakes and river valleys, as 

 it appears to be as much at home on inland waters, so long as 

 they are open, as the sea. In April it begins to migrate north 

 again, and reaches its highest Arctic haunts as the ice is breaking 

 up and summer is bursting with startling suddenness over the 

 wild, lone land. It is just as gregarious as its aUies, not only on 

 migration and in winter, but in summer also ; for as soon as the 

 females have scattered up and down the breeding grounds and 

 gone to nest, the males flock once more, and apparently keep 

 gregarious until the following spring. The flight of the Surf 

 Scoter is strong and rapid, but the bird is said to rise with 

 difficulty from the water. It is an expert and rapid diver, keeps 

 principally to the water, where it swims equally well, and ever 

 seeks to evade pursuit by diving out of reach of its enemies. It 

 is not much of a land bird, and walks in a clumsy, waddling 

 manner. The note of this bird is not known to differ from that 

 of its allies, and the female is said to utter a hoarse cry as she 

 rises startled from the nest. As is the case with both the other 

 British Scoters, but more especially with the Common Scoter, 

 many immature and non-breeding birds stay behind in their 

 winter quarters, where they keep in large flocks. The food of 

 the Surf Scoter, obtained almost entirely by diving, consists of 

 mollusks, crustaceans, and small fish. It is not known whether 

 this bird is a vegetable feeder in summer ; but there can be little 



