THE SAWBILLED-DUCKS 295 



THE SAWBILLED-DUCKS 

 [F. C. R. JOURDAIN] 



The sawbills form an easily recognisable group of diving ducks, 

 in which the edges of both upper and lower mandible are furnished 

 with rows of toothed lamellae, giving them the appearance of a saw 

 blade in which the points are directed backwards. The bills of all 

 the species of this genus (Mergus) taper rapidly from the base, and are 

 very slender by comparison with those of other ducks. In common 

 with the other diving ducks, they possess deeply lobed hind-toes, and 

 have the feet set far back, thus necessitating a very upright carriage 

 when walking. Three species are treated of in the present article 

 the goosander, Mergus merganser L., the redbreasted-merganser, 

 Mergus sermtor L., and the smew, Mergus albellus L. All three species 

 haunt fresh-water streams and lakes in the breeding season, though 

 the redbreasted-merganser is also found nesting along the coast ; while 

 during the winter months the goosander and smew are chiefly to be 

 met with on fresh water, and the merganser haunts the coast, although 

 occasionally penetrating for some distance up the rivers. All the 

 sawbills are excellent swimmers and divers as well as strong on the 

 wing. They are, moreover, exceedingly wary birds, and feed by day ; 

 but owing to the destruction caused by them among the trout and 

 salmon fry are far from welcome visitors to our fishing streams. Their 

 flesh is practically useless as food, and in consequence they are but 

 little shot at except by fish-preservers ; but few birds have a better 

 idea of how to take care of themselves, and in the case of the 

 goosander, and to a smaller extent of the merganser, the increase in 

 breeding range of late years has been remarkable. 



