234 , SURF SCOTER. 



particularly where the waves roll over the sandy beach. They are constantly diving in 

 search of food, and seldom or never visit the salt marshes. 



Their food consists of shell-fish. The stomach of the specimen recorded by Mr. Thompson, 

 contained "ten perfect specimens of the bivalve shell, Nucula margaritacea, from small 

 to adult size, and a portion of the shell of a very large Solen pellucidus, with fragments 

 of the shells of other species." 



They breed in the extreme north, but Audubon found one nest at a little distance 

 from the Gulf of St. Lawrence, five miles and a half from the sea. He says, "The nest 

 was snugly placed amid the tall leaves of a bunch of grass, and raised fully four inches 

 above its roots. It was entirely composed of withered and rotten weeds, the former 

 being circularly arranged over the latter, producing a well-rounded cavity six inches in 

 diameter, by two and a half in depth. The borders of this inner cup were lined with 

 the down of the bird, in the same manner as the Eider Duck's nest, and in it lay five 

 eggs ; the smallest number I have ever found in any Duck's nest. They were two inches 

 and two and a half eighths in length, by one inch and five-eighths in their greatest 

 breadth, more equally rounded at both ends than usual: the shell perfectly smooth, and 

 of a uniform pale yellowish, or cream-colour." 



In the adult male, the bill is yellowish red, with a square patch of black on each 

 side at the base; irides, white, or very pale cream-colour; on the crown and back of 

 the neck, are two patches of white. The whole of the rest of the plumage shining 

 black. Legs and feet, deep red; membranes, black. 



The female has the bill dusky, and the whole plumage of a brownish black, lightest 

 about the neck and under surface. The feet gray brown. 



The length is about twenty or twenty-one inches. 



