The Mergansers. 4 1 5 



found on tanks and lakes of considerable 

 extent and on the larger rivers. It is 

 generally found in flocks, amounting 

 sometimes to as many as forty, but more 

 frequently not exceeding a dozen or 

 twenty. 



Little has been written by European 

 authors regarding the habits of this species, 

 and I shall here reproduce some of Mr. 

 Hume's excellent notes on the Smew 

 as observed in India in winter. He says : 

 "As a rule, they are wary birds, and 

 difficult to approach. They keep in deep 

 water, far away from any cover, and you 

 can only shoot them from a boat. They 

 can swim faster than any ordinary up- 

 country native boat can be propelled, and 

 faster than one can paddle a punt when 

 lying down. They keep a very sharp 

 look-out, never diving en masse, but some 

 always watching while the rest are under 

 water, and, as a rule, the moment they 

 see any boat they swim away. ... If you 

 wait, as one does with most other fowl, 

 till you can make certain what they are, 

 they see you, and away they go swimming 

 with little but their heads and necks 

 visible, faster than you can paddle. But 

 at times, I presume when they have 

 never previously been fired at, you can 



