BIRDS UNDER WATER 157 



beaks are narrow like a cormorant's beak, not 

 broad like a duck's, with peculiar saw-like 

 edges formed by rows of horny teeth, which 

 do not give a fish much chance of escape. 



Sometimes some of the ordinary surface- 

 feeding ducks will dive for food, but few people 

 seem to have seen this done ; I have noticed 

 it with several kinds myself, but then I have 

 watched ducks a great deal, as they are 

 favourite birds of mine. It is a wise duck 

 that learns this accomplishment, for ducks 

 may easily find themselves on water which is 

 too deep for them to reach the bottom by 

 turning " end up," especially in winter when 

 the sides of rivers and streams are frozen up, 

 and then only those which will dive for food 

 will get anything to eat. But the surface- 

 feeding ducks are always at a disadvantage 

 when they practise diving, because their feet 

 are not so big as those of the diving kinds, 

 which makes it much more of an effort for 

 them to keep under, unless they use their 

 wings as well, which most ducks will do if 

 they are very hard pressed in diving, for 

 instance when a wounded one is chased 

 under water. 



