THE MERGANSERS. 149 
Zt was formerly called, from its extraordinary manner of 
paddling and splashing upon the water, race-horse, but is now 
named, much more appropriately, steamer. Its wings are too 
small and weak to allow of flight, but by their aid, partly 
swimming and partly flapping the surface of the water, it moves 
very quickly. The manner is something like that by which the 
common house duck escapes when pursued by a dog; but Mr. 
Darwin, who often watched the bird, is nearly sure that the 
steamer moves its wings alternately, instead of both together, as 
in other birds. ‘These clumsy logger-headed ducks make such 
a noise and splashing, that the effect is exceedingly curious. 
It is able to dive only a very short distance. It feeds entirely 
on shell-fish from the kelp and tidal rocks; and hence its beak 
and head, which it uses for the purpose of breaking them, are 
so surprisingly heavy and strong, that they can scarcely be 
fractured with a hammer. 
Another remarkable inhabitant of the southern hemisphere is 
the Rock Goose, (Anas antarctica,) which exclusively inhabits 
rocky shores, and is often met with on the Falkland Islands, 
and on the west coast of America, as far north as Chili. In the 
deep and retired channels of Tierra del Fuego, the snow-white 
gander, invariably accompanied by his darker consort, and 
standing close by each other on some distant rocky point, is a 
common feature in the landscape. 
The Mergansers differ chiefly from the sea-ducks, whom they 
otherwise closely resemble both in outward form and mode of 
life, by their comparatively long and slender bill, furnished 
with serrated edges and hooked at the extremity. All 
the British species are adorned with crests, or a tuft of 
long feathers, at the back of the 
head. The red-breasted merganser 
is a beautiful bird, painted with a 
variety of gay colours. “ The head 
and throat are of a rich shining green, 
the neck white, except a narrow dark 
line behind; at either side before the 
Wings are numerous large white 
feathers bordered by velvet-black ; the lower part of the neck 
and breast is chestnut-brown, varied with dark streaks, and 
Red-Breasted Merganser. 
