324 INDIAN DUCKS 



a flock, but that they join forces during the niorning and evening 

 flighting, when flocks of forty or. sixty are coinuion, and, as 1 have 

 mentioned above, soiuetiines as many as 200 may be seen in one 

 flight. 



The food of the Indian Goosander is as purely an animal diet as 

 that of any duck in existence, and the greater portion of it consists 

 of fish, in the diving after which it is wonderfully expert. Very 

 often flocks work in concert in their fishing ; sometimes they will 

 gradually work the fish into some narrow inlet, and when they have 

 fairly got them driven into it, will almost exterminate a shoal before 

 the surviving members of it break through the living cordon of 

 greedy birds and make good their escape. 



Ball says : — 



" In the Subanrika they may been seen in parties swimming 

 against the stream, and all diving together, apparently to catch fish. 

 The sudden disappearance of the whole flock at the same moment 

 gives the idea that they work in concert in hunting the fish which 

 are coming down with the stream. Their flight is very rapid." 



The same mode of fishing has been reported to me by many 

 other observers, and has also come under my own observation on 

 several rivers. 



They are most voracious birds, and do a great deal of damage m 

 fishing rivers. Mr. E. T. Booth, in ' Eough Notes,' writes of the 

 European bird : — 



" Goosanders are blessed with strong, healthy appetites .... 

 when wounded or alarmed, I have occasionally remarked an immense 

 quantity of fish was thrown up. After a shot .... at a number 

 of these birds .... scores of small rudd and roach were dis- 

 covered lying on the surface where the flock had been resting." 



Again, to quote Mr. Finn from the ' Asian ' : — 



" A captive bird I had under observation devoured no less than 

 forty fish, about two inches long, at a meal. No castings were 

 found, but hones and all were digested as by a Cormorant, and the 

 excreta were semi-fluid and very foetid. The stomach of this bird 

 proved to be soft throughout, not bard and muscular like a duck's 

 gizzard." 



