222 MERG.\NSER SERRATOR. 



flock. Now start up, and if you •vvish a shot, run to the 

 "waters' edge and get down among the sea-weed behind a stone, 

 while I from this eminence survey the submersed flock. 

 How smartly they shoot along under the water, with par- 

 tially outspread wings, some darting right forAvard, others 

 wheeling or winding, most of them close to the sandy bottom, 

 but a few near the surface. Some flounders, startled by the 

 hurricane, shoot right out to sea, without being pursued. 

 But there, one is up, another, and I must sink to repose in 

 some hole. How prettily they rise to the surface, one here, 

 another there, a whole covey at once emerging, and all with- 

 out the least noise or splutter. But they are far beyond shot 

 range. However, having come near the next rocky point, 

 they now turn, dive in succession, and will scour the little 

 bay until arising here at hand they will be liable to receive a 

 salute that will astonish them. A whole minute has elapsed, 

 half another ; but now one appears, two, many, the Avhole 

 flock ; and into the midst of them pours the duck shot, while 

 the noise of the explosion seems to roll along the hill side. 

 In a twinkling all are down, save six that float on the water, 

 four dead, one spinning round, and the other striving in vain 

 to dive. In less than two minutes they are seen emerging, 

 more than a quarter of a mile out at sea, and presently 

 again they are out of sight. On such occasions, they sel- 

 dom fly. 



In the middle of May, having paired, they disperse, betak- 

 ing themselves to the lakes and pools, but some also to the 

 little sea-islands. The nest is placed among the grass or 

 heath, near the edge of the water, and is composed of withered 

 herbage, not very neatly arranged, but lined with the down 

 which the female plucks from her breast. The eggs, from 

 five to ten, are of a regular oval form, cream-coloured, or very 

 pale bufi", averaging two inches and a-half, by an inch and 

 three-fourths ; but they vary considerably in size. When in- 

 cubation has commenced, the male, having nothing to engage 

 his attention, and feeling no desire to help his mate, leaves 

 her, and joins his fellows, or goes a-fishing by himself. The 

 female, meanwhile, sits very assiduously, so as to allow a per- 

 son to advance very close to her before rising ; and, having at 



