WATER BIRDS. 213 



fact, to move their feathers in any direction by a mus- 

 cular contraction of the skin. When this power ceases, 

 the feathers hang loosely in every direction, and the wet 

 enters to the skin. 



" The live otter's skin never appears to be wet, how- 

 ever long the animal may remain under the water, but, 

 like the plumage of birds, soon becomes soaked through 

 when the animal is dead. Whilst he is alive the water 

 runs off his hair exactly as it does off the back of a bird 

 during a shower. When we find any live water bird or 

 animal with its feathers or hair wet or clinging together, 

 it is a sure sign that the creature is either diseased, or is 

 suffering from some wound or accident."* 



Cage birds often suffer from ulceration of the rump 

 gland, which affects the general health of the bird, as 

 the stoppage of any other of the secretions would do. 

 This doubtless arises from the unnatural condition in 

 which they are kept, and not, as Bechstein amusingly 

 says, from their neglecting to use the gland. 



I will now enumerate the true water birds which have 

 come under my observation. Of many of them my notes 

 are very brief a mere mention of their occurrence ; but 

 it must be remembered that it is not my object to write 

 a general history of the respective birds, but to record 

 observations actually made in a particular locality. My 

 readers must therefore kindly make allowance for, in 

 many instances, the paucity of information I have 

 given. 



Of the Anserinse I can only include two species. The 

 Grey Lag Goose (A user palustris) is not of unfrequent 



* Natural History and Sport in Moray, by the late C. St. 

 John, p. 65. 



