WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS 



the shore, I have often watched these birds, as they swim 

 along in small companies within twenty yards of me; the 

 drake, with his gay plumage, playing quaint antics round 

 the more sad-coloured female — sometimes jerking himself 

 half out of the water, at others diving under her, and com- 

 ing up on the other side. Sometimes, by a common im- 

 pulse, they all set off swimming in a circle after each other 

 with great rapidity, and uttering their curious cry, which 

 is peculiarly wild and pleasing. When feeding, these birds 

 dive constantly, remaining under water for a considerable 

 time. Turning up their tails, they dip under with a curious 

 kind of motion, one after the other, till the whole flock is 

 under water. They are not nearly so wild or shy as many 

 other kinds of wild-fowl, and are easily shot, though if 

 only winged it is almost impossible to catch them, even 

 with the best retriever, so quickly do they dive. They 

 swim in with the flowing tide, frequently following the 

 course of the water to some little distance from the mouth 

 of the river. When I see them in the heavy surf on the 

 main shore, they seem quite at their ease, floating high in 

 the water, and diving into the midst of the wildest waves. 

 When put up, they seldom fly far, keeping low, and sud- 

 denly dropping into the water again, where they seem 

 more at their ease than in the air. When I have shot one 

 of these birds, its mate (whether the duck or the drake is 

 the survivor) returns frequently to the spot, flying round 

 and round, and uttering a plaintive call. 



On the open part of the coast they are often seen in 

 company with the velvet duck. The latter very seldom 

 comes into the bay, but keeps without the bar, quite re- 



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