S84 ANATID.E. 



wards with the rapidity of an arrow, he dimly perceives the 

 Hooded Mergansers sweeping past. Five or six, perhaps 

 ten, there are ; with quick beats of their pinions, they fly low 

 over the waters in wide circles. Now they have spied the 

 entrance of a creek ; they shoot into it, and in a few seconds 

 you hear the rushing noise which they make as they alight on 

 the bosom of the still pool. Up the creek they proceed, 

 washing their bodies by short plunges, and splashing the 

 water about them. Now they dive for minnows, which they 

 find in abundance, and which no doubt prove delicious food 

 to the hungry travellers. At length having satisfied their 

 appetite, they rise on wing, fly low over the creek with 

 almost incredible velocity, return to the broad stream, rove 

 along its margin until they meet with a clean sand-beach, 

 where they alight, and where, secure from danger, they re- 

 pose until the return of day. This bird ranges throughout 

 the United States during winter, content with the food it 

 meets with in the bays and estuaries of the eastern coast, and 

 on the inland streams. The dam of the Pennsylvania miller 

 is as agreeable to it as that of the Carolina rice-planter; 

 even the numerous streams and pools of the interior of the 

 Floridas are resorted to by this species, and there I have 

 found them full of life and gaiety, as well as on the Missouri, 

 and on our great lakes. When the weather proves too cold 

 for them they go southwards, many of them removing towards 

 Mexico." 



" The Hooded Merganser is a most expert diver, and so 

 vigilant that at times it escapes even from the best percussion 

 gun. As to shooting at it with a flint-lock, you may save 

 yourself the trouble, unless you prevent it from seeing the 

 flash of the pan. If you wound one, never follow it ; the 

 bird, Avhen its strength is almost exhausted, immerses its 

 body, raises the point of its bill above the surface, and in 

 this manner makes its way among the plants, until finding 

 some safe retreat along the shore, it betakes itself to it, and 



