374 DIVERS. 



their voice, which they regain, and always use during their 

 flight, in the winter season, and which is thought to be like the 

 sound of a fife. Their flesh is much esteemed, and they are 

 easily domesticated in places where there is much water, and are 

 greatly admired for their beauty, sprightly look, and active 

 frolicksome motions. 



DIVERS, 



as they are termed, consist of the scoter, scaup, golden eye, 

 morillon, and others of the duck kind, and are not meant to par- 

 ticularly signify those birds to which naturalists have given the 

 jiame of divers. 



They vary much both in plumage and size, some weighing 

 two pounds and a half, and others a pound less. In hard weather 

 they frequent the shores and the tide rivers in great plenty, and 

 are almost always at that season fat and in good condition ; they 

 do not fly in such large flocks as many of the duck species, and 

 usually close to the surface of the water, and bear very hard 

 blows from the shot without dropping, unless struck upon the 

 head or wing. 



The day seems to be spent by these birds between diving and 

 flying to small distances over the water, which they do so low 

 as often to dip their legs in it : they swallow their food whole, 

 and soon digest the shells, which are found crumbled to powder 

 among their excrements. They have been kept tame for seme 

 time, and will feed on soaked bread. The flesh tastes fishy in 



