MASON AND LEPROT. 303 



1612. Mcrgus albellus. Smew. 



Fish, crustacea and water insects. Jerd. B. I. Ill, 819. 



They feed entirely under water. I have examined many 

 without ever findirg any vegetable matter in their gizzards, or 

 anything but small fish and water insects, chiefly a kind of 

 cricket (?) and these they pursue under water. H. M. G. B. Ill, 297. 



Its food, chiefly fish and water insects, is obtained by diving. 

 F. I. IV, 468. 



(Hume) Fish. Its food is practically entirely animal, and 

 consists of crustacea, molluscs, water-insects, larvae, small fishes, 

 etc. S. B. I. D. A., 265. 



1613. Merganser castor. Goosander. 



The great bulk of their food is fish, good-sized ones, often five 

 or six inches long, and as in the case of the smew, there are always 

 plenty of pebbles in their gizzards. I have found a kind of crayfish 

 and water insects in some I have examined. H. M. G. B. Ill, 304.. 



Fish. F. I. IV, 470 



As purely an animal diet as that of any duck in existence, 



and the greater portion of it consists of fish Very often flocks 



will work in concert in their fishing. . . .and will almost exter- 

 minate a shoal. They are most voracious birds and do a great deal 

 of damage in fishing rivers. Mr. E. T. Booth, in " Rough Notes/' 



writes : " After a shot .... at a number of these birds scores 



of small rudd and roach were discovered lying on the surface 

 where the flock had been resting/' Mr. Finn in the Asian: "A 

 captive I had under observation devoured no less than forty fish, 

 about two inches long, at a meal." S. B. I. D. A., 275. 



The Anseres comprise a very important group of birds. Not 

 only are many species kept domestically for the value of their 

 products, but many of the wild species form a large natural food 

 supply for man. 



They are to a very large extent migrants and therefore we 

 cannot regulate their occurrence in any one district except by 



