ALONG ROCK-BOUND COASTS. 225 



to be, within the knowledge of the anonymous 

 writer of such arrant nonsense. 



Another bird of these wild northern coasts is 

 the RED-BREASTED MERGANSER (Mergus serrator). widely 

 It is not known to breed anywhere in England, 

 occurring there as a winter visitor. This bird 

 loves a rocky, irregular coast the best a coast 

 full of lochs, and creeks, and fiords. The male is 

 one of the showiest birds of the rock-bound coast, 

 easily identified as he sits low on the water, close 

 inshore, by his bright red narrow bill and bushy 

 black crest. The rambler by the waterside on 

 these northern coasts is sure to meet with pairs 

 of these birds swimming along just below the 

 rocks, searching the shallows for food, or re- 

 peatedly diving in the deeper water. From time 

 to time he may see them flying quickly along the 

 lochs to visit the bare rocks at low water, amongst 

 which they pick up crustaceans and little fish left 

 in the pools on the shore. The sharply toothed 

 bill of this bird enables it to seize the fish with 

 deadly certainty. These fish are pursued under 

 water in a precisely similar manner to the way in 

 which the Guillemot and the Cormorant chase 

 their prey. In the breeding season the Red- 

 breasted Merganser is not what we can term 

 gregarious, although several nests may be found 

 within a small area of the coast. A rocky island 

 is always selected if possible. The scanty nest is 

 often made under the shelter of a rock, at other 

 times amongst the coarse grass and heath that 

 clothes these islets. It is little more than a 

 hollow in the ground, lined with a few bits of dry 

 grass, but down from the parent is added as the 

 eggs are laid. These are from eight to twelve in 



Q 



