RAVENS, CURLEWS, AND EIDER-DUCKS 145 



tending forwards the head and neck in the direction 

 of each in turn. 



As there were a good many females in this " re- 

 union," the numbers of the males about any one of 

 them at one time was not great. Some of them 

 were attended by only one cavalier or left quite 

 lonely for a time — but all kept shifting and chang- 

 ing. The birds kept always swimming on, and 

 were now all together, now scattered over a con- 

 siderable surface of water. Sometimes two males 

 would court one hen, who would then often demon- 

 strate between them in the way I have described. 

 Often, however, the male birds are in excess of the 

 females, and sometimes there will be only one female 

 to a number of males, who then press so closely about 

 her that they may almost be said to mob her, though 

 in a very polite manner. There are then frequent 

 combats between the males, one making every now 

 and again a sudden dash through the water at another, 

 and seizing or endeavouring to seize him by the head 

 or scruff of the neck. The two then struggle together 

 till they both sink or dive under the water. Shortly 

 afterwards they emerge separately, and the combat is 

 over for the time. During, if not as a part of, these 

 nuptial proceedings, the birds of both sexes will 

 occasionally rise in the water and give their wings 

 a brisk flapping. They may also occasionally dive as 

 a mere relaxation, or to give vent to their feelings, at 

 least so it appeared to me. 



The female eider-duck — as far as I could observe 



— does not utter the curious note, but only a deep 



quacking one, with which she calls to her the male 



birds. It appeared to me that she would sometimes 



K 



