BIRDS 293 



ebbed, we managed to steer our little craft out of harbour. A 

 sharp frost had set in during the early hours, and a breeze from 

 the north blew the surface of the Firth into ripples. Common 

 and Herring Gulls hovered about the quay, but we had nearly 

 reached Skinburness before we fell in with a flock of between 

 five and six hundred Scaups assembled in the tide-way. It was 

 the largest congregation of ducks that I had ever witnessed. 

 The birds extended in a long and broad band along the shore. 

 As we drew up to them they rose heavily, and the main 

 phalanx split up into two divisions. The lesser body flew off 

 steadily to the westward. The larger section circled round us 

 and again alighted on the water, out of shot, but sufficiently 

 near to supply a striking and effective picture — the young birds 

 and old females forming a pleasing contrast to the full-dressed 

 drakes. Before they alighted, and while they were wheeling 

 round, we noticed their heavy flight on first rising from the 

 water, flying against the wind, gradually attaining an elevation 

 of 40 or 50 feet, but never 'towering' as Goldeneyes and 

 even Long-tailed Ducks will sometimes ' tower.' Presently, 

 away they swept across the water in a long extended line, 

 travelling a half-mile, perhaps, and hesitating to alight, until 

 one or two of the foremost birds dropped and afforded an 

 example which their followers were not slow to adopt. In a 

 few minutes you could see them crowding together in a dense 

 mob ; so they would remain until we bore down upon them 

 again, when the birds began to swim away from us. Now and 

 then an odd bird rose at one end of the flock, crossed the party, 

 and alighted on the other side ; this was generally followed by 

 five or six Scaups rising together, succeeded by a fresh detach- 

 ment. The main body would remain for a minute or two 

 longer near us, then rise tumultuously as by common consent, 

 and wheel off in a long-extended line to a quieter part of the 

 Firth, leaving half-a-dozen birds behind them to court our 

 attention. The only stranger that we could detect among all 

 these Scaups was a single Common Scoter, which had somehow 

 strayed into their company. 



