THE HOODED MERGANSER. 



531 



when she takes wing, and flies off. If, however, she have 

 sufficient notice of the approach of a person before he 

 reaches gunshot she swims rapidly off, with her whole brood 

 paddling behind her, 

 until she turns a 

 point or neck in 

 the pond or stream 

 where she happens 

 to be, when, silently 

 creeping into shore, 

 she, with her brood, 

 hides herself in the 

 herbage on the land 

 until the danger is 

 past. When about two-thirds grown, these young Mer- 

 gansers, like the young of most of the other fowls, are 

 excellent eating. They are called " Flappers," because of 

 their habit of flapping their wings on the water to aid their 

 escape from pursuers. 



This species, in passing with its young from one body of 

 water to another, often, while flying, carries them singly in 

 its mouth ; and I have been told, that even after it has been 

 shot and has fallen to the ground, it not unfrequently holds 

 the chick. Mr. George A. Boardman informs me that the 

 female of the Summer Duck often encroaches on the nest 

 of this Merganser ; and he once witnessed an attempt of the 

 latter to drive the other from her domicile, of which she 

 had taken possession, and in which she was engaged in the 

 duties of incubation. He watched them, and noticed, that, 

 when the Wood-duck left the nest, the Merganser took 

 possession of it ; and, when she left it, the other did the 

 same. 



