BIRD-LIFE OF THE BORDERS. 



Towards the end of February, Mergansers, and other ducks, 

 begin to move northwards, and at that period we often 

 observe, on the N.E. coast, small parties of this and other 

 species putting into our harbours for rest and food, prepara- 

 tory to continuing their journey by stages. On March 1st, 

 1881, I was cautiously following six Mergansers at low tide 

 in the punt, when, on rounding a turn in the sandbank, they 

 all landed. It was a most interesting sight to watch their 

 sprightly graceful carriage as, half upright (i.e. at an angle 

 of about 45), they ran up the sloping sand in most active 

 style very different from the waddling gait of most of the 

 Diving-ducks, some of which appear almost unable to stand 

 at all. The Scaup and Scoters are seldom seen ashore, but 

 when driven to it, sit awkwardly with their great splay feet 

 turned inwards in most ungainly style. The further back a 

 bird's feet are placed, the more upright it necessarily stands. 

 Thus the Cormorant and Merganser sit as described about 

 half upright (45) : the Sea-ducks rather more horizontally, 

 and the Wigeon is actually horizontal. Guillemots and Grebes, 

 whose legs are practically terminal members, sit bolt upright, 

 while, so far as I have been able to see, the Colymbi are 

 unable to stand at all. 



To return to my six Mergansers : they were evidently paired, 

 for after landing they separated into three pairs of fiances, 

 one of which I shot, and thereby, perhaps, saved them from 

 future remorse and recrimination ! These birds roost on the 

 sea, and are exclusively marine in their haunts ; I have 

 never, in winter, seen them away from the salt water, 

 whereas their congener, the Goosander, though not un- 

 common inland, rarely visits the tidal waters. Their haunts 

 are the freshwater streams and large rivers, where they feed 

 on trout. I only once remember seeing what I took to be 

 three Goosanders on the coast, but Mr. Crawhall has shot 

 one coming in from sea at the morning flight. 



There remain two other members of the Mergus tribe, 

 which are invariably mentioned by writers on wildfowl ; but 

 neither of which I have ever seen alive namely, the Smew 

 and the Hooded Merganser. The former can only be 

 regarded as an extremely rare winter visitant, which has, 



