THE SURF-SCOTER 
Oidemia pefspicillata (Linnseus) 
Anas perspicillata, Linn,, Syst. Nat., ed. x. i. p. 125 (1758). 
Anas nigra major freti hudso7tis, Briss., Orn., vi. p. 425 (1760). 
A nas pBrspicillatci , Linn., Syst. Na,t., ed. xii. i. p. 201 (1766). 
La Macreuse di. large bee. Buff., Hist. Nat. Ois., ix. p. 244 (1783). 
Anas latirostrzs, Bodd., Tabl. des PI. Enl., p. 58 (1783). 
Melanitta perspicillataXL"), Boie, Isis, 1822, p. 564. 
Platypus perspicillata (L.), C. L. Brehm, Lehrb. Naturg. eur. Vog., ii. p. 823 (1824). 
CEdemia perspicillata (L.), Steph., in Shaw's Gen. Zool., xii. pt. ii. p. 219 (1824). Yarrell, Saunders, and 
Dresser. 
Macroramphus, Less. {Anas perspicillata, Linn.), Man. d'Orn., ii. p. 414 (1828). 
Pelionetta, Kaup {Anas perspicillata, Linn.), Natural. Syst., p. 107 (1829). 
Fuligula perspicillata (L.), Aud., Orn. Biogr., iv. p. 161, pi. 317 (1838). 
Pelionetta perspicillata (L.), Bp., Compt. Rend., xliii. p. 651 (1856). 
Pelionetta trowbridgii, Baird, B. of N. America, p. 806 (1858). 
CEdemia perspicillata, van trowbridgii, Coues, Key, p. 295 (1872). 
Oidemia perspicillata (L.), Authors of Hand-list of Brit. Birds, p. 146 (1912). 
Local Names.— Surf-Scoter, Surf-duck {English) ; Skunk-head Coot {New England and L ong Island) ; 
Surf-duck, Spectacled Coot, Surf-Coot, Hollow Coot (adults). Grey Coot (young birds) {N. America) ; 
Macreuse a large bee [French)', Brillenente, Brillen-Tauchente {German)', Brilleand {Danish)', 
Hvitnackad Svarta, Glasogonand {Swedish) ; Valkoniska-merilintu {Finnish) ; Svestun [Russian). 
Egg. — The eggs are 5 to 7 in number as a rule ; but Macfarlane records one instance 
in which 8 were found in one nest. One clutch of 7 taken off the Labrador coast averages 
64.4x43.9 mm. (2.53x1.72 inches). Maximum, 66.5x43.5 and 64.1 x 45 ; minimum, 
^3 X 43-5- These eggs are rather pointed in shape, creamy in colour (Massey Coll.). Five 
eggs in the Brit. Mus. from Macfarlane and J. G. Bell are decidedly smaller, averaging 
58.7x41.1 mm. (2.31 X 1. 61 inches). Maximum, 60.6x40.7 and 56.6x42.6; minimum, 
56.6x42.6; and 57.6x40.5 minimum (F. C. R. Jourdain). C. J. Maynard says they 
are greenish buff, 6 to 10 in number, and 2.25x1.60 to 2.30x1.65 inches in size. The 
specimen, figured and kindly lent by H. Massey, was taken by Mr. R. S. Duncan at 
Akfratok, Labrador, on June 11, 1903. 
Young in Down. — I have been unable to obtain the young of this species for illustration, 
since no British or American public or private collection seems to contain a specimen. 
Im^nature Male. — The young male in first plumage (October) is very similar to the 
young male Common Scoter. Crown and cheeks and back of the neck dark brown, with a 
distinct white patch in front of the eye similar to female. Nape, mantle, scapulars, back, 
and wings very dark brown with greyish edges to the feathers ; flanks warm brown ; under 
parts pale brown with grey edges, whitish in the centre of the breast ; the tail is greyish- 
brown barred with dark brown. The young male Surf-Scoter can easily be identified from 
other species by the shape of the bill, which in November begins to turn orange round and 
below the nostrils and as far forward as the nail. In December the white appears round the 
square black patch on the broad part of the upper mandible, and black markings are retained 
