26 THE CONDOR Vol. XX heads and retreating foreheads. Two or three pairs there seemed to be, but some were so far out that I could not be sure. Scattered over the water and farther up the lake lined up along the shore as a row of black spots, were a large number of Seaups. As I patrolled the tree line bordering the lake they gradually worked their way down the shore, some flying low over the water, their small heads and slender black necks out- stretched, their white wing patches and gray blankets showing. When they had all turned Stony Point with its rocks and trees, and gained the quiet wat- ers of' the cane-bordered bay, they lay in close sociable groups, forty in one bunch, seventy-five others .in sight. From my distance they all seemed to b? males. As they sat quietly on the water in the sun, the gray saddle was sug- gested, and as they lay on one side, the white belly showed. When the Seaups Were on the bay another day, a Redhead came swinging in and lit outside the cane-bordered water front, his handsome round head and black neck showing well. As the sun struck his head I was surprised, for it burned like that of a l?ed-headed Woodpecker. The next day ! saw him--or a brother--swim from the bay far out across the lake, and later return if, again, he were the same bird--swimmingwith puffy head arched, his mate be- side him. The last of August, out on the rough water of the lake I was much pleased to discover a family of Redheads swimming along, six about half grown young riding the waves ahead of their parents, Large flocks of Seaups and a few pairs of Scoters were seen on the lake a number of times, and one day when hunting through the glass for a large flat- headed Scoter among the small round-headed Seaups, I finally discovered one swimming rapidly past the Bluebills in the direction of the shore. Just then, unfortunately, my attention was called in another direction so that, if the Sco- rer were on her way to her nest, I lost the opportunity to locate it. Late the next afternoon, af.ter a day of heavy east wind I found the lake almost deserted, but three pairs of Scoters were riding at ease well out on the rough water, brown, lurid water, ominous of the violent storm that shortly after swept doxvn over the rprairie. Beyond the three pairs of White-wings a fexv black bobbing corks may have been still other Scoters, but they were too far out to be dis- tinguished. On one of the quiet days after the storm, a number of Scaups and two pairs of Scoters were gathered in. the bay. One of the black Scoters kept .throwing up his head as if swailowing, and then he and his brown mate started to swim slowly across the bay. She led the way, swimming on her side and looking over her shoulder as if using a breast stroke. He got behind, stop- ping to plume his feathers, and had to hurry after her. They disappeared around Stony Point, and, presumably, stopped to feed on some green weed near the surface; for when I came up they burst away noisily, t?vo pairs of big webbed feet sticking out behind and white wing patches showing conspicu- ously. The water was sparkling and a great many Ducks were scattered over its surface though ? could recognize only Seaups, among whom there now seemed to be some females. Another time, up the curve of the shore the sand was black with Scaups--solid yards of them, there appeared to be! Not long after this I left the north Sweetwater for a term of weeks, but late in August had the satisfaction of seeing the second chapter of the Scorer history--a fam- ily .of perhaps half grown young swimming around with their parents. When watching ducks on the lake near sunset the first of September, I
