CH. XXIX. MODES OF SWIMMING OF WILD-FOWL. 147 



in the midst of a calm lake, or riding, as buoyant 

 as a cork, on the waves of the sea. 



When looking at wild-fowl on the water, it is 

 generally easy to distinguish what kind they are, 

 even from a great distance. Scarcely any two spe- 

 cies swim or float in the same manner, and at the 

 same elevation above the surface of the water. 

 Coots and sea-gulls float like bladders, with scarcely 

 any of their body immersed ; so much so that it is 

 almost impossible to mistake one of the former at 

 any distance at which a bird can be distinguished. 

 The divers, such as the cormorant, the black-throated 

 diver, and others of the same kind, swim very flat in 

 the water, showing scarcely any part except the top 

 of their back, and their head and neck, which all 

 these birds carry straight and erect, seldom or never 

 bending and arching their throat like ducks or geese. 

 In consequence of their swimming so low in the 

 water it is difficult to kill any of these diving birds, 

 unless you can get at them from a rock or height 

 above them. Widgeon swim rather flat and low in 

 the water. Mallards and teal keep more of their 

 bodies above it, and are in consequence easier to 

 kill while swimming. Pochards, scaup ducks, and 

 others of that kind, swim higher still, but are very 

 strong swimmers and difficult to catch when only 

 winged, diving incessantly, and going out to the 



