THE SWIMMERS. 171 



and foot greyish blue. The length is nineteen inches, the breadth thirty inches ; the length of wing 

 eight inches and a half, and the length of tail three inches. In the female, which is smaller than her 

 mate, the head and hinder neck are brown, the bridles black, the throat and under part of the body 

 white, the feathers of the mantle grey, the upper breast and sides whitish, transversely waved with 

 black. After the summer moult the dress of the male very much resembles that of the female. The 

 real habitat of the White-headed or Dwarf Goosander, as it is sometimes called, seems to be in 

 Northern Asia, from whence it extends westward into Northern Europe, and eastwardly into the 

 northern parts of America. During the winter months, however, it wanders far southward. It is 

 then to be met with in considerable numbers throughout the whole of China, being more especially 

 abundant in the northern provinces of the Celestial Empire. It is, moreover, a regular visitant to 

 Northern India, and is not unfrequently seen in Central and in Southern Europe. It seems to be 

 more scarce in the Southern Provinces of the United States of North America, for Audubon informs us 

 that in the western division, at least, it was a bird of unusual occurrence. In very hard winters it 

 makes its appearance in Germany, as early as the month of November, but more usually not until the 

 middle of December, returning again to the north in February or March. It is likewise a winter 

 visitor to the shores of Great Britain, large numbers being sometimes seen on the eastern or southern 

 coasts of England. It is rarely found north of the Humber, and is comparatively rare in Scotland 

 and Ireland. In some parts of Switzerland it may be met with even so late as the beginning of May. 

 This species is generally only to be found in the neighbourhood of fresh-water lakes, sometimes, but 

 only casually, it may be seen in quiet bays upon the sea-coast, more especially in such as are at the 

 mouths of rivers. Unlike the Divers, it seems to prefer flowing streams to stagnant water, and often 

 wanders along the course of rivers, from which it only makes excursions to such lakes and ponds as 

 may be free from ice. When walking, the Dwarf Goosander holds its body in a horizontal position, 

 with its head retracted ; it walks with a waddling gait, but better than the generality of its near allies. 

 When swimming it keeps itself about half submerged, and when it dives it stretches itself out to its full 

 length, and disappears in an instant. Its flight, which very much resembles that of the smaller Ducks, 

 is rapid, straight, accompanied by a slight whirring of the wings, and is generally but little elevated 

 above the surface of the ground or of the water. It is remarkably lively in its disposition, and even 

 during the bitterest cold weather is sprightly and active. 



These birds may generally be recognised by the manner of their diving ; the True Divers, after 

 their plunge, generally reappear close to the spot where they went down, but the Goosanders 

 swim while under water to a considerable distance, shooting along like a pike or a trout, and as 

 they can keep submerged for a minute at a time, it is not easy to calculate where they will come 

 up again. They live principally upon small fishes, crustaceans, and aquatic insects, and in 

 confinement, at least, do not refuse vegetables ; they will also eat bread greedily. In catching fishes 

 they are quite as skilful as the larger Divers, and it is very interesting to watch a flock of them thus 

 employed. Now you see them swimming altogether ; in a moment they all vanish at once, and the 

 water becomes disturbed by their movements underneath ; at length they come up again one after 

 another, but widely separated, and often from thirty to fifty yards from the place where they went 

 down. Again they congregate, and anon they dive again ; some of them coming up perhaps close to 

 the shore. Sometimes they are obliged to procure their food through small holes in the ice, often not 

 a foot square, and to pursue their game beneath the frozen surface, only presenting themselves every 

 now and then at the aperture for a supply of air. Their power of seeing under the water must 

 therefore be very good, or they would never be able to find the broken place at which to emerge. 

 Where the supply of food is scanty they will rake up the bottoms of ponds, in search of frogs or insects. 

 The habit of diving all at once is peculiar to the Goosanders, and the explanation of this manoeuvre 



