J9 8 BRITISH BIRDS. WITH THEIR NESTS AND EGGS. 



dive through the advancing wave, coming out on the other side and riding 

 buoyantly as a cork, as if born to rule the waves. Like the Goosander, the 

 Merganser is capable of making very fair progress on its feet, and in this 

 respect is very superior to the waddling diving Ducks. 



That excellent observer and out-door naturalist, the late Mr. Graham, of lona, 

 writing of the Merganser, says : " a very pretty sight they make in some rock 

 embosomed creek, a party of some half-dozen, including one splendid male. At one 

 time they float upon their own reflections imaged in the dark blue water ; then, as if 

 by word of command, they all leap down together into the depths below. After a 

 minute's interval, up they pop to the surface, emerging with great buoyancy. 

 They are now a little scattered, so they converge upon their gallant admiral, whose 

 bright, parti-coloured plumage is further set off by the rich, soft shades of chestnut 

 which form their own colouring. They advance with great swiftness through the 

 water, without any visible effort or motion of any part of the body ; the long 

 slender neck is kept erect and motionless, except to turn the head and long coral 

 bill gracefully round, as the bird looks about, suspicious of lurking danger." 



Saxby says : " when Mergansers are feeding in water too shallow for diving, 

 they are not very easily distinguished at a distance, owing to their habit of keeping 

 the head almost constantly submerged, leaving nothing in sight but the back." 

 On discovering a fish they dive instantly, without having raised the head for 

 breath ; on making a capture the fish is swallowed when brought to the surface, 

 the bird then raises the fore part of the body, flaps its wings, and takes a drink 

 of salt-water, raising its bill like a common fowl. 



In very severe winters the Merganser visits the sea round Heligoland in large 

 numbers, fifty to one hundred, and often much more, in a flock. Mr. Ga'tke says, 

 these flocks are nearly all old males with double tufts on their heads. The females 

 and young birds approach nearer the island and do not congregate into companies 

 like the males, but dive about for food apart from their fellows. The Heligolandish 

 name means " Necklet-seacock," as distinguished from " Yellow-seacock," the 

 Goosander. 



The nest of the Merganser is placed on the ground, generally, but not always, 

 near water ; it is well concealed in long heather or grass, with a foundation of 

 coarse dead herbage, and lined with feathers and whitish down from the bird's 

 breast. The eggs are from six to nine, cream coloured or light buff, sometimes 

 with an inclination to green. In Norway the nest is not uncommonly placed 

 under the shelter of a young spruce, where the lower branches sweep the ground. 

 In Shetland, Mr. Saxby says, the Merganser when nesting seems to prefer some- 

 thing in the form of a roof, or under a rock, a rabbit burrow, a crevice in an old 



