SURFACE DUCKS. 3 



when seeking their food, their powers* of diving are 

 far superior. Of similar habit in this respect are 

 the Goosander, Red-breasted Merganser, Hooded 

 Merganser, and Smew. The larger sea divers, 

 such as the Great Northern Diver, Black- throated 

 Diver, Red-throated Diver, and now and again a 

 Grebe, are the only wildfowl that will ever trust 

 entirely to their great diving powers, in preference 

 to taking wing. But although they will act thus, 

 it is not their universal practice. If cornered, or 

 puzzled between two boats, they will then rise, the 

 Red-throated Divers and the Grebes most often, 

 but the Great Northern Diver not once in a 

 hundred times. These latter are the only species 

 that on certain occasions will dive from danger 

 without being previously wounded or disabled. 



The surface-feeding Ducks most frequently met 

 with by the fowler are the Wild-duck, Wigeon, Teal, 

 Sheldrake, and Pintail ; then the Shoveller, not a 

 rare bird in Ireland ; while more unfrequently seen 

 are the Gadwall and Garganey, the latter only 

 occurring at long intervals. Among the diving 

 ducks the Scaup, Pochard, Goldeneye, and Tufted 

 Duck are common, any others of the genus being 

 rarely met with. The common Scoter (a sea duck) 

 is seen in numbers, but the Surf and Velvet Scoters, 

 the former especially, are very rare in their visits. 

 The Red-breasted Merganser is far the most nu- 

 merous of its kind ; the Goosander occasional ; 

 the Hooded Merganser most rare, and the Smew 

 is not often seen or shot. The Great Northern 

 Diver, in immature plumage, is common ; the Red- 

 throated Diver more so ; the Black-throated Diver 



B 2 



