RED-BREASTED MERGANSER, SHELDRAKE. 233 



foremost into the water, one after another, in rapid 

 succession, emerging, frequently with a small fish in 

 the bill. The mergansers paid no attention to their 

 fellow-fishermen, although at times a plunging gull 

 would come perilously near one of the saw-billed gen- 

 try as he rose from the depths; and what with the 

 rising and disappearing mergansers, and the air above 

 them filled with the forms of the darting gulls, execut- 

 ing all manner of swift and graceful evolutions, the 

 scene was very spirited and full of animation." 



The red-breasted merganser is swift of wing, and as 

 might be imagined, an expert diver. It frequently 

 comes in very gently to decoys, dashing along at great 

 speed, until it reaches the point where it wishes to 

 alight, and then, without checking its flight, throwing 

 itself breast down upon the water, and sliding over it 

 for some distance. After alighting, it looks about for 

 a moment, alternately raising and depressing its crest, 

 and if it sees nothing to alarm it, goes to work fishing. 

 There is no reason for shooting it, as it is worthless 

 for food. 



Among the common names applied to this bird, in 

 different sections of the country, are sheldrake, saw- 

 bill, fisherman, pied sheldrake, shelduck and big saw- 

 bill. 



