RED -BREASTED MERGANSER. 401 



The nest of this species, which I have often had an opportunity 

 of examining, is generally placed among heath on unfrequented 

 islands. It is like that of an Eider duck, but not so much 

 flattened, being tidier and more compact. The materials are 

 straws, dried moss, and bits of heather, and the whole lined 

 with a profusion of feathers. I have repeatedly seen the nest on 

 the island of Inchmoin, in Loch Lomond, which is frequented by 

 a large colony of the lesser black-backed gull, and about a dozen 

 pairs of the great black-backed gull, who appear to be somewhat 

 dangerous neighbours. In the breeding season of 1864, I put a 

 female off her nest on that island, and left it untouched after 

 having carefully noted the structure and its contents in my pocket 

 journal. About an hour afterwards, on passing the place, I 

 observed one of the larger gulls had discovered the treasure, and 

 was in the act of breaking the last of the ten eggs which it 

 contained. 



On the east coast I have never discovered any breeding place. 

 I have frequently shot the bird on the rocky parts of Dunbar 

 shore, in East Lothian, chiefly at the mouth of some fresh water 

 stream, while feeding on nereids and other sea worms, which had 

 been dislodged by the fresh-water, and were rolling seawards with 

 the current. On one occasion I watched eight Mergansers diving 

 repeatedly at this place about daybreak. From their eagerness in 

 remaining over the same spot, I knew they were finding plenty to 

 satisfy their hunger, and though not in want of a specimen, I 

 selected a male, and shot him as he emerged from below, within 

 range of my hiding place. Finding the stomach full of small 

 black eels, I went back to the burn mouth next morning, and on 

 carefully tracing the rivulet landwards, I at length discovered a 

 swarm of eels on the march. Their progress had been arrested 

 by a barrier of stonework across the stream, over which the rivulet 

 poured in noisy volume, and effectually prevented them reaching 

 the pond on the other side of the wall by swimming. Tiie little 

 creatures, however, had instinctively quitted the water, and were 

 at the moment I saw them wriggling their way up the sides of the 

 stonework in thousands, and clinging to the damp moss, which 

 seemed a great help to them in their efforts to get over the barrier. 

 Many hundreds were already at the top and finding their way to 

 the pond through the grass avoiding the short rush of water 

 between the reservoir and the fall. 



2A 



