6 THE FOWLER IN IRELAND. 



even walk at all, but shuffles along on the breast. 

 Nor can this bird rise from level ground, but must 

 climb up some tiny eminence to spring clear and 

 use the wings. For this reason such birds can 

 rise better from a wave top than they can in a 

 smooth sea. 



I have seen the Red-breasted Merganser resting 

 on rocks at half tide at rare intervals ; the large 

 Divers, Grebes, Tufted Duck, and Goldeneye, 

 never. Diving Ducks, having the legs placed far 

 back, are ill-formed for walking, though I have seen 

 Scaup and Pochard at odd times squatting on the 

 verge of the water, and then so close, that a couple 

 of shoves would float them. This, however, was 

 with a flowing tide. They would, probably, not 

 risk being stranded with the ebb. The true Ducks 

 take very long steps on land, so long that a 

 waddling gait is produced. Divers, if seen to move 

 when standing upright, raise the foot and place it 

 down in almost the same spot ; but it is a habit 

 with most of them to jerk along the ground as 

 above described. Mergansers, however, can use 

 their legs fairly well on land. 



A mallard is not such an expert diver when 

 wounded as is the female wild-duck ; and will often 

 foolishly waddle out on dry land, thus affording an 

 easy chance to the fowler. The females, however, 

 are gifted with far greater powers of deception, and 

 can dive and hide well. They will creep slily to 

 the shore, and there lie motionless among weeds or 

 stones, till all but trodden underfoot by the searcher. 

 Shore shooters have often tried to convince me that 

 the female wild-duck, when wounded, will remain 



