118 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 



was very restless, constantly flying up the lough 

 from the south-west corner, alighting near my cover 

 at the north-east point, and then proceeding to dive 

 with energy, remaining under water from thirteen 

 to sixteen seconds. He then swam rapidly along 

 the left side of the lough, diving at intervals, until 

 he reached the further extremity of the lough. 

 Thence he returned, flying low over the w^ater, until 

 he reached his former feeding place, when he re- 

 commenced diving. I watched the birds constantly 

 for a couple of hours, but never saw either of the 

 Goosanders take any but lov/ flights over the lough." 

 The Goosander arrives on the Solway in October 

 and November, departing at the end of March or 

 the beginning of April. In 1883, an immature 

 Goosander was shot on the Eden, at Rockliffe, on 

 the 29th of September ; but the bird had been 

 driven up the river by stress of weather, and the 

 date was decidedly an early one. 



M. Serrator. Red-breasted Merganser. 



The Red-breasted Merganser is a scarce winter 

 visitant to our estuaries, arriving in October in 

 scanty numbers. A fine adult male was shot on 

 the Solway during the present spring (1885), but 

 old males are very seldom met with on our tidal 

 waters. 



The Red-breasted Merganser is essentially a 

 marine species, and rarely occurs inland. An im- 

 mature bird was shot on the Caldew, above Carlisle, 

 in the hard winter 1880-1, by Mr. F. W. Bailey; 

 but its presence even at that short distance from 

 the Solway is altogether exceptional. 



