264 THE WILD-FOWLER. 



they often are, accidentally, in fisliing--nets*), striking- their bills, 

 with fierce onslaug'ht, at man or dog-, and are capable of inflicting- a 

 severe wound in the flesh. 



They are seldom seen in dopping-s of above five or six, but more 

 frequently entirely by themselves. 



The numbers which visit the southern shores, always depend on 

 the temperature of the season : they are only driven there by stress 

 of weather. 



THE RED-BREASTED MERGANSER. 



[Mergiis serrator.'] 



" Mergansers came many, with fish in their throat, 

 By gluttony prompted their bodies to bloat." 



Jennings, Ornithologia. 



Althoug'h this is a species wholly disreg-arded by the modern 

 apician, it is a bird of so beautiful a plumag-e, and so often crosses 

 the track of the wild-fowler, sometimes clialleng-ing- him to a trial of 

 his best skill as a punter, that it would be wrong- to pass it over 

 without some comment. 



The species is rather abundant on the coasts of Scotland and the 

 north of England, but scarce in the south, seldom visiting- the 

 southern counties except in hard winters. 



They are among- the most distrustful water-fowl I ever met with ; 

 and it is seldom that a shot within range can be had at them. They 

 are, besides, expert divers, and, when wounded, make determined 

 efi"orts to elude the shooter's g-rasp. 



A few seasons ag-o, five of these birds puzzled me a long- time, ere 

 I could obtain a shot at them. They were seen from d-ay to day on the 

 waters ; and I made several unsuccessful attempts to approach them 

 in my rowing--punt, but without success. One fine day, however, 

 during- a steady breeze, I launched my sailing-- punt, hoisted a small 



* In reference to water-fowl being sometimes surprised by the fisliing-net, Mr. 

 Daniel records the following remarkable story : " An extraordinary occurrence took 

 place, March, 1810, near Drumburgh. A fisherman placed a flounder-net in the 

 river Eden, which is subject to the flux and reflux of the tide ; and, on his returning 

 to take up his net, instead of finding fish, he found it loaded with wild-ducks. 

 Dm-ing his absence, a fleet of these birds had alighted below the net, and, on the 

 flowing of the tide, were carried, from the contraction of the channel, with great 

 impetuosity, into the net, and were drowned. He caught one liundrcd and seventy 

 golden-eyed wild-ducks, supposed to be from the Orkneys, as very rarely any of 

 that species frequent that part of the country." — Swpplement to Do/niel's Rural 

 Sports, p. 430. 



