DIVING-DUCKS 365 



Towards the end of February, mergansers, and other 

 ducks, begin to move northwards, and at that period 

 we often observe, on the north-east coast, small parties 

 of this and other species putting into our harbours for 

 rest and food, preparatory to continuing their journey 

 by stages. On March ist, 1881, I was cautiously 



Merganser Drake, showing Form and Carriage of Crest. 



following six mergansers at low tide in the punt, when, 

 on rounding a bend in the sand-bank, they all landed. 

 It was interesting to watch their sprightly graceful 

 carriage as, half-upright {i.e., at an angle of about 45°), 

 they ran up the sloping sand in active style — very different 

 from the waddling gait of the other diving-ducks, some 

 of which appear almost unable to stand at all. The 

 scaup and scoters, for example, are seldom seen ashore, 

 but when driven to it, sit awkwardly with their great 

 splay feet turned inwards in most ungainly style. The 

 farther back a bird's feet are placed, the more upright 

 it necessarily stands. Thus the cormorant and merganser 

 sit as described — about half-upright (45°) ; the sea-ducks 



