Oedomia arnericana. 
1872o 
Jan.S Peb. 
Abundant in Boston 
in 
mass. 
1876. 
market from various localities 
Apr. 12. A large flock near Point Lopreaux^N. . I shot down 
one which immediate ly dove and was not seen again. 
“ 13. At Point Lapreux^N.B. they were flying all day in 
multitudes and the water in all diroetions vms covered 
with great beds of them. 
A heavy flight during the morning {Pt.Lapreaux,N.B.) 
“ Spent much time to-day vmtching them through a pow¬ 
erful telescope; they are decidedly the most active and 
lively of the Water-fowl here. They have a frequent 
habit of rushing around on thesurface of the \ 7 ater, ap¬ 
parently walking on the tips o^ their toes v4th their 
bodies perpendicular, uttering incessantly the v/hile, a 
Very loud and curious note. This steals in over the 
sea from all directions and may bn often heard vdien the 
flock producing it is too fa r off to be seen. It has 
a peculiarly plaintive mejancholy sound; especially aa- 
v/hen it is heard as it vms last night long after darkness 
has set in (as late as 10 P.M.). This, as well as the 
other Coots, is an exceedingly graceful bird on the water 
It St etches up its neck much highO'- than the Old Squaw. 
(Point Lepreaux,N.B.). 
15, A flock of five flying past the point, uttering a 
peculiar low mur muring (Point Lepreaux,N.B.). 
“ A heavy but intermittant flight all day, few alight¬ 
ing on the water. Thomas tells me this is always the 
case when they are flying steadily. The present spe¬ 
cies is still much more numerously represented here than 
either of the other two. (Pt.Lepreaux,N.B.). 
15« To-day for the first time, this species was much 
outnumbered by the Surf Scoter. It is a less graceful 
bird on the water carrying its neeh and head more stifly 
and at times strikingly resembling its fresh-water namo- 
safae Fulifc a american a. It frequently elevates its tail 
almost vertically. When diving the whole flock dis¬ 
appears almost simultaneously. When migrating they al¬ 
ways pass close over the water their long lines following 
the undulations of the waves (Point Lepreaux,N.3.), 
a 
Only a few seen to-day; the greater number have evi¬ 
dently passed, while the migration of Surf Scoters is 
now at its height, and that of the velvet Scoter just 
beginning. (Pt.Leproaux,N.B.). 
28 
