Oidemia americana. 
1889, 1 1,111 Lake Umbagog. 
October 3. 
The big flock (discovered in the lake this morning by 
Jim) was composed almost entirely of adult male American Scoters 
with a few females and one or two Surf Scoters. They presented a 
superb appearance on the water, a shining black mass dotted all 
over with spots of gleaning gold. Thyy were very active and play¬ 
ful at times. At others they merely drifted in a compact line look' 
ing exactly like a black log. They rose at frequent 'intervals and 
mounting high in air circled and wheeled for many minutes at a 
time, flying miles before realighting, and uttering their wild, 
jingling chorus of "sleigh-bell 11 cries. They flew in various or¬ 
ders, sometimes in a V, sometimes in a long line either parallel 
with or at right angles to their course. At times they "bunched" 
closely together when we could distinctly and frequently hear the 
crowded wings strike one another, making a noise like a paddle 
dropped lightly on the water. When they set their wings and de¬ 
scended towards the lake they made a sound like a gale of wind 
blowing through the woods or perhaps more like escaping steam. 
This was distinctly audible a mile away. 
On the water they frequently executed a sort of revolving 
dance, the whole flock swimming rapidly in a circle, each bird 
using his paddles so vigorously as to keep most of his body above 
the surface. This performance made a plashing sound like heavy 
rain on a still pond. During it they did not use their wings at 
all. Occasionally but rarely a single bird would rise on end and 
.flap his wings like a Loon. Almost incessantly one or more birds 
