SIBERIA IN EUROPE. 



CHAP. XIII. 



We saw several goosanders ; * one pair we distinctly 

 identified on the water of the marsh behind Habariki. 



The smew t was rather a common duck ; we saw many 

 pairs on the pools, the large marsh and the woodland tarns. 

 We secured a fine male. We were told that they breed in 

 low stumps of trees. 



We identified the black-throated diver J for the first 

 time on the 2nd of June. We saw it several times, and 

 heard it flying overhead. 



* The goosander (Mergus merganser, 

 Linn.) is another of the circumpolar 

 ducks which occasionally breed in Scot- 

 land, but is usually a winter visitant 

 to the British Islands. Its breeding 

 range extends across the northern 

 portion of the temperate regions of 

 Europe, Asia, and Africa, up to the 

 Arctic Circle, and to the mountainous 

 districts of Mongolia, Turkestan, and 

 the Himalayas, where it finds a similar 

 climate at high elevations. In winter 

 the European birds seldom migrate 

 across the Mediterranean. In India it 

 does not appear to wander south of the 

 Central Provinces. It passes through 

 Japan on migration, and winters in 

 South China, whilst on the American 

 continent, Texas appears to be the 

 southern limit of its wanderings. Haba- 

 riki is probably about the northern 

 limit of this species in the valley of 

 the Petchora. 



f The smew (Mergus albellus, Linn.) 

 is one of the ducks which appear to be 

 confined to the eastern hemisphere, and 

 must be regarded as a somewhat rare 

 straggler during the winter 



through the British Islands. Its 

 breeding range may be described as 

 slightly south of the northern limit 

 of forest growth. It winters in Central 

 and Southern Europe, occasionally 

 crossing the Mediterranean, Turkestan, 

 North India, China and Japan. In the 

 valley of the Petchora we did not meet 

 with this bird farther north than 

 Habariki. 



| The black-throated diver (Colym- 

 bas arcticus, Linn.) is not an uncommon 

 bird in the breeding season on the 

 Scotch lakes and tarns. It frequents 

 similar localities throughout the whole 

 of North Europe and Asia. Its home 

 is on the water, and it does not appear 

 to indulge in any extended migrations. 

 In winter it frequents the sea-coasts of 

 England, the shores of the North Sea, 

 very rarely straying as far as the 

 Mediterranean. In the Black Sea it 

 is very common in winter, also in 

 North Japan. On the American con- 

 tinent it appears to be equally abun- 

 dant, breeding in the Hudson's Bay 

 territory, and wintering on the coast 

 of California. 



