GOOSANDER. 77 



where the Merganser is common. Goosanders reach Britain in 

 October, but few appear in Cheshire before December ; even 

 then their visits are irregular. April is the month of emigra- 

 tion, but birds on passage will linger for a few days, even in 

 mid-May. 



The elongated, cigar-shaped body is well adapted for rapid 

 progress in the air, on or under the water ; the bird swims with 

 great speed, easily forging ahead of Mallards, even when not 

 hurried. With neck awash and head well forward it slides 

 through the water, its rounded back just showing like a small 

 submarine travelling on the surface, but if suspicious it sinks its 

 deck and leaves only its periscope visible. When resting on the 

 water its attitude is similar to that of the sleeping Great Crested 

 Grebe, the head and neck laid back between the wings ; the 

 white coverts and flanks then hide the dark portions of the 

 wing, and the back merely shows as a crescentic line above 

 the white side. The rosy tinged under parts show when the 

 bird raises itself and flaps its wings, and when it rolls to scratch 

 its blood-red bill an orange leg appears. The ducks, both 

 when swimming and flying, look much darker than the drakes, 

 although their backs are ashy grey, for the white under parts 

 on breast and flanks are tinged with grey. Goosanders rise 

 heavily, splashing like diving ducks, but when clear of the water 

 fly straight at great speed ; they will fly high above an inland 

 water. The only note that I have heard is a harsh karrr, 

 but in spring the drake is said to utter a " soft, low croak." 

 When a party is fishing, the water swirls as the birds pop up 

 and dive again one after the other ; so far as I have seen, the 

 wings are not used for under-water swimming, though they may 

 be slighdy opened, like those of the Cormorant, as the bird 

 rises. Fish are, frequently at any rate, swallowed under water. 

 The duration of the dives varies ; the shortest that I have timed 

 lasted only 10 seconds, the longest 110. A minute below is 

 common, and the bird will often travel tlfty yards or more before 



