42 INDIAN SPOETING BIEDS 



head drawn back proudly like a miniature swan, and the fore- 

 part of the crest raised, while now and then he rears up in the 

 water with down-bent head. 



Goosander. 



* Merganser castor. 



The goosander is a fishing duck built on the lines of a 

 cormorant ; narrow head, long flat body, with legs far astern, 

 rather long tail, and especially long, narrow, hooked beak ; in 

 fact, many people on the first sight of one hardly realize it is a 

 duck at all. However, its striking variegated plumage is quite 

 different from the crow-like coloration of the cormorants : the 

 drake is pied, being below white, with the head, upper back and 

 part of the wings black, the lower back and tail grey, and 

 bright red bill and feet. The head has a green gloss, and the 

 under-parts often show a wash of salmon or apricot colour. 



The female is very different, being bright chestnut on the 

 head, which in her is well crested ; French grey above, about 

 heron or pigeon-colour, and white below ; the wings are black 

 and white and the legs and bill red, much as in the male, but not 

 so distinct in colour. The male in undress much resembles her. 

 The beak, it will be noticed on close inspection, is set with 

 backward-pointing horny teeth, and has not the wide gape of a 

 cormorant's, and the feet are quite ordinary duck's feet, having 

 the hind -toe short ; not large and webbed to the rest like a 

 cormorant's, so useful both as extension of paddle and a perch- 

 grip. The goosander is one of our largest ducks, the male 

 weighing about three pounds, while even four and a half has 

 been recorded ; females are generally less. They are usually very 

 fat, and, according to Hume, will make a good meal if skinned, 

 soaked, and stewed with onions and Worcester sauce, and if one 

 has not got any other form of meat or game available. This is 

 quite likely to happen where goosanders are shot, as their haunts 

 are different from those of ducks in general ; they are birds 

 of the hill-streams chiefly, being resident in the Himalayas and 



MergiiH on plate. 



