458 
SURF DUCK. 
DIMENSIONS. 
Average measurements of specimens from North America. Length, 19'25: stretch, 31‘25; wing, 9'38; tail, 3‘50; bi , 
175; tarsus, l - 75. Longest specimen, 21'50; greatest extent of wing, 3350; longest wing, 975; tail, LOO; bill, 190; tarsiv, 
1*80. Shortest specimen, 1700; smallest extent of wing, 29'00; shortest wing, 9-00; tail, 3*00; bill, TOO; tarsus, 170. 
DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 
Nests, placed on the ground near the water, composed of sticks, weeds, down, etc. Eggs, six to ten in number rather 
oval in form, and pale yellowish in color. Dimensions from 100x2'00 to 1-65x2 05. 
HABITS. 
The Scoters are quite common on our coast in autumn and winter but are rather more 
abundant further south, and I saw large flocks of this species in the sounds and hays from 
New Jersey, southward, and also found them off the coast during calm weather. When a 
storm was approaching, however, they would all fly shoreward and take shelter in land¬ 
locked waters; thus a flight of Ducks to the westward always indicated had weather. When 
in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, in July, I noticed great numbers of Scoters off the eastern 
side of the Magdalens, hut these were mainly immature birds, the males being in the mixed 
dress between the young and adult, which often characterizes Ducks of the second year, so 
I judged that they were not breeding; in fact, those which I procured did not exhibit any 
indication of it. 
(EDEMIA PERSPICILLATA. 
Surf Duck. 
Anasperspicillata Linn., Syst. Nat., I, 1766, 201. 
DESCRIPTION. 
Sp. Ch. Form, robust. Size, large. Bill, very long. Color. Adult male. Black throughout, glossed with bluish, 
with a triangular white patch on top of head, and another on nape, the apex of each pointing in opposite directions. Iris, 
yellowish-white, feet, reddish-orange, bill, with square black patch at base of the upper mandible, margined with reddish- 
orange, in front of which is a bluish-white spot which is followed by reddish-orange that becomes dusky toward tip. Low¬ 
er mandible, pinkish. Adult female. Brown throughout, darkest above, with patch at base of bill and on side of head, 
narrow line on ear coverts, and anterior portions, whitish. Bill, black. Young. Similar to adult female. 
OBSERVATIONS. 
Known in the adult stages by the two triangular patches on head, while the female and young may be distinguished 
by the long bill and absence of any decided white markings. Distributed in summer from Labrador, northward, winter¬ 
ing from Massachusetts to the Carolinas. 
DIMENSIONS. 
Average measurements of specimens from North America. Length, 19-50; stretch, 3P75; wing, 9 65; tail, 3-27; bill, 
1 63; tarsus, P65. Longest specimen, 2P00; greatest extent of wing, 32'50; longest wing, 9 80; tail, 3 55; bill, 175; tarsus, 
1 80. Shortest specimen, 18-00; smallest extent of wing, 31-00; shortest wing, 9-50; tail, 3 00; bill, P50; tarsus, P50. 
DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 
Nests, placed on the ground near water, composed of weeds, grass, feathers, etc. Eggs, six to twelve in number, el¬ 
liptical in form, and greenish-buff in color. Dimensions from l"60x2"25 to 1-65x2-30. 
HABITS. 
These Surf Ducks are also quite abundant otf the coast and are, in common with the 
preceding and following species, termed Coots by gunners. All three species have the 
habit, shared with many other Ducks, of flying into the mouths of rivers in order to feed at 
low tide, then retreating to the open water to roost; and they will remain at sea all night, 
sitting in compact flocks. If, however, an easterly storm of long continuance occur, they 
will enter the land-locked waters for shelter, but the waves must run quite high before 
they are obliged to retreat; in fact, I have often seen them ride out a storm, when the 
breakers were lashed into foam by the driving wind and every billow had assumed a white 
cap. Then, when one of the great waves came sweeping on, they would float buoyantly 
upward, and, as it broke, would bow before it and emerge in safety behind the wall of 
seething water. 
