The Surf Scoter 



Taken in Santa Barbara 



Photo by the Author 



OLD MAN OF THE SEA 



mium, orange, and car- 

 mine, and those 

 displayed not only in 

 transitions but in the 

 most abrupt contrasts. 

 x\dd a swelling which 

 involves not only the 

 base of the bill but the 

 whole anterior portion 

 of the head ; then a white 

 eye ; then two patches of 

 dazzling white on black 

 ground for the rest, and 

 you have this Beau 

 Brummel of the seas. 



But the ladies like 

 him; they have to, for they are such homely bodies themselves that the 

 perversity of attraction must be mutual. I have seen a Surf Scoter court- 

 ship in mid-April. Five males are devoting themselves to one female. 

 They chase each other about viciously, but no harm seems to come of 

 their threats; and they crowd around the female as though to force a 

 decision. She, in turn, chases them off with lowered head and out- 

 stretched neck and great show of displeasure. Now and then one flees 

 in pretended fright and with great commotion, only to settle down at a 

 dozen yards and come sidling back. If she will deign a moment's atten- 

 tion, the flattered gallant dips his head and scoots lightly under the sur- 

 face of the water, showering himself repeatedly with his fluttering wings. 

 One suitor swims about dizzily, half submerged, while another rises from 

 the water repeatedly, apparently to show the fair one how little assistance 

 he requires from his feet in starting, a challenge some of his corpulent 

 rivals dare not accept, I ween. I have watched them thus for half an 

 hour, off and on, and the villains still pursue her. 



Not only are the Surf Scoters present in vast numbers in winter 

 throughout the length of our coast, but quite considerable numbers linger 

 through the summer, — that is to say, the year around. These are 

 evidently immature birds, who have no need to go north to watch their 

 more fortunate elders nest, and old birds, whose mating days are done. 

 Such a company I once found in mid-June haunting an off-shore reef 

 near the Forty-eighth Parallel. Though the reef was half a mile away, 

 we could look down on it from the summit of Carroll Islet and note the 

 accurate allowance of spacing for each bird, about three or four feet 

 from his nearest fellows. There were a thousand birds of this and the 



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uy 



