The Mergansers. 393 



where the current is strong and the water 

 flows over a pebbly bottom. I have never 

 seen them near mud and weeds, and I 

 believe that they eat nothing but fish. They 

 dive incessantly and come up in the most 

 unexpected places. They dive both up 

 and down stream and remain a very con- 

 siderable time under water. Frequently 

 they sit fairly high on the water, but they 

 possess the power of submerging the 

 body, and when alarmed or wounded, or 

 swimming up-stream, little more than the 

 head and neck is visible above water. 

 From the backward position of the legs 

 of this Duck, it might be imagined that 

 it could hardly walk, but Mr. Finn 

 assures us that the Goosander walks as 

 well as most Ducks. The cry of this 

 species is usually a harsh croak, but 

 Mr. Booth describes the note of the 

 female and young birds as a low plaintive 

 whistle. The flesh of the Goosander, as 

 might be expected, is remarkably rank 

 and is not fit for the table. 



The Goosander is almost invariably 

 found in fresh waters, and it is only in 

 very severe frosty weather that it goes to 

 sea. It has a preference for clear water 

 flowing over pebbles and rocks, and it is 

 seldom found far from forest- 



