170 VOYAGES OF A NATURALIST 



Channel are natural harbours, where ships can 

 anchor with safety. These anchorages were a great 

 pleasure to all of us, for as soon as the ship came 

 to one of them a boat was lowered, and we set off 

 to visit some of the beautiful islets with which 

 the Straits are studded. 



In Port Gallant we had our first view of 

 steamer-ducks. Seeing two ducks sitting on the 

 water we steered towards them, when, to our 

 delight, they " got up steam " and raced away. 

 In different accounts we read of the various ways 

 in which this duck is supposed to propel itself 

 through the water. The older accounts say that 

 it uses its " tiny wings as paddles " and " rows 

 itself through the water." It was then called the 

 " racehorse-duck." During our passage through the 

 Straits we paid much attention to this subject, 

 and came to the following conclusions : — when 

 alarmed, steamer-ducks at once run away over the 

 water, flapping their wings (which are not nearly 

 so " tiny " as those of the Guillemot in proportion 

 to the sizes of the birds), and travelling at an almost 

 incredible speed — in fact, almost as fast as an 

 ordinary duck can fly. The feet of the bird are 

 large and strong, the muscles enormously developed. 

 The wings, although not of sufficient size to raise 

 the bird completely from the water, are able 

 to lift the body clear of the surface, so that the 

 feet come into play, when, by running on the water 

 and flapping their wings, the birds race so fast 



