no 



WILD NATURE'S WAYS. 



RED-BREASTED MERGANSER. 



close by. This bird sat so closely that she allowed 

 me to take her off her eggs, and appeared to 

 have a -regular track in the deep heather leading 

 down to the edge of the loch, where I frequently 

 saw her fishing in the evening. 



One day when I passed she was just in the 

 act of escorting her downy family from the cosy 

 old nest to the water, and although the youngsters 

 scattered very cleverly when I disturbed the 

 procession, I managed to find and secure a pair 

 of them. 



It is a melancholy reflection that one of the 

 most beautiful and useful British birds is nearly 

 everywhere steadily decreasing in numbers, owing 

 to the fact that its eggs are being more and 



