RED-BREASTED MERGANSER 257 



The present species exceeds the goosander in elegance of form 

 and in handsomeness of colouring and ornament. It is a winter 

 visitor, and also a resident throughout the year on the coast of 

 Scotland north of the Clyde, and of the Orkneys, Shetlands, 

 Hebrides, and St. Kilda. In Scotland and Ireland it inhabits inland 

 lakes and rivers, as well as the sea- coasts. During the cold season 

 it is gregarious, and usually goes in small flocks. In March these 

 companies break up, and male and female are thereafter seen always 

 in close companionship. They are excessively shy and wary birds, 



FIG. 87. KED-BREASTED MEBGANSEB. ^ natural size. 



diving or taking to flight on the least alarm. They feed on small 

 fishes and marine molluscs, which they take by diving ; near the 

 shore, where the water is shallow, they are often seen with head and 

 neck almost continuously immersed as they explore among the seaweed 

 at the bottom for food. They swim like the cormorant, having the 

 faculty of sinking the body beneath the surface ; and also dive like 

 that bird, springing up and plunging down almost vertically. The 

 favourite nesting-place is on an island, under the shelter of a rock, 

 sometimes in a hole in the ground. The nest is formed of leaves 

 and grass placed in a slight hollow, down being added later by the 

 incubating bird. Six to nine eggs are laid, sometimes as many as 

 twelve. The eggs are glossy, and pale olive -grey in colour. The 

 drake does not assist in incubation or in protecting the young. 



