VOL. XV.] SOME NOTES ON DIVING DUCKS. 37 



of courting is not quite so strenuous as that of its love-sick 

 relative. First, the head is thrust upwards to the full extent 

 of the neck, with the bill closed ; but instead of being bent 

 across the back, as is- the case with the Goldeneye, it is then 

 dipped sharply downwards towards the water, the bird opening 

 its beak and uttering at the same time a sort of grunt, the 

 female, meanwhile, merely bowing her head. Though 

 molluscs are also included in its diet, the Merganser is chiefly 

 a fish-eater, rivalling even the Cormorants {Phalacrocoracidce) 

 in the speed with which it can swim beneath the surface. 

 Like the Cormorant, too, it also has the power of submerging 

 its body, though it does so much less frequently than the 

 former bird, which may, indeed, constantly be seen swimming 

 in this manner, even when undisturbed. The Merganser, 

 on the other hand, only submerges when danger threatens. 



I might here mention that the common Cormorant of the 

 North Pacific is P. pelagiais robnstns, a bird that, both in 

 habits and general appearance, differs but little from our 

 own. 



Whilst most species of diving Duck, as already stated, 

 live together in perfect harmony, the same can hardly be 

 said of the Red-breasted Merganser. When undisturbed he 

 is, indeed, by no means the quiet, unobtrusive creature of 

 which we read in bird-books ; and though he does not 

 deliberately molest his neighbours, there are times when our 

 saw-billed friend unmistakably " gets on their nerves." On 

 one occasion a small party of these ducks came into my bay 

 and commenced playing, or fighting, amongst themselves 

 like a gang of noisy schoolboys, chasing each other under the 

 water, scattering their neighbours and generally making 

 themselves objectionable. This was too much for a sedate 

 old Goldeneye who was trying to doze near by ; with open 

 beak he flew at one of the roysterers, and after chasing his 

 victim all over the ba3^ compelled him finally to seek safety 

 in the open sea. At this moment a Gull which had been drifting 

 peacefully on a floating log, and whose slumbers had also 

 been interrupted, joined in the fray. Swooping upon another 

 member of the party, he rained peck after peck on the 

 unfortunate Merganser before it had either the time or presence 

 of mind to dive beneath the surface, and thus escape. Such 

 an incident is interesting as showing how two birds of totally 

 different species will combine to rid themselves of a common 

 nuisance. I have also seen a Cormorant chastize one of these 

 birds, and though I was unable on this occasion to determine 

 the cause of the trouble, there seems to be no doubt that 



