AXATID^. 166 



breasted Merganser settled in the same place close to it, and immediately 

 began diving, but did not stay so long under water at a time as the Duck, 

 although it seemed to have great success in fishing, as we saw it come up 

 with a dab and several eels in about a quarter of an hour, when it flew 

 away down the river. The Merganser appeared to use the same method 

 of crippling its prey as the Duck, but did not take so long about it, and 

 swallowed the fishes quicker ; several of the eels managed to escape from 

 its bill into the water, but were immediately recaptured ; but on one 

 occasion the bird had to dive again for the eel, which it did with astonish- 

 ing rapidity. Both birds occasionally allowed an eel to float on the surface 

 of the water for an instant, as if to change its position in their bill. 

 After the Merganser had swallowed the dab, it did not seem to find its 

 dinner sit comfortably, as it stretched its neck a good deal, and drank 

 water, apparently to get rid of the slime in its bill. Both birds avoided 

 getting too near to the ice, and always dived against the tide, which was 

 running out strongly. There was a great difference in their manner of 

 diving. The Duck sank gradually in the water, and partially submerged 

 itself before plunging down. The Merganser, on the contrary, raised 

 itself up before putting its head under water, as though to dive with 

 greater force. The Merganser's bill being better adajited for holding its 

 slippery quarry gave it the greater success of the two in fishiug. The 

 Duck remained much longer under water, but did not catch so many fish ; 

 it may, probably, have found other things to feed on at the bottom of the 

 river. We once found many small shells in the stomach of a female 

 Tufted Duck shot on the Exe. 



Mr. Piodd had no knowledge of the Tufted Duck as a nesting-bird 

 in Cornwall ; bat in Dorset it has certainly bred, on the excellent 

 authority of Professor I^ewton. This was in the year 1876 (Mausel- 

 Pleyd*'ll, ' Birds of Dorset,' p. 158). In the winter months the shallow 

 and muddy waters of the bay at Weston-super-Mare, in North Somerset, 

 are visited by great flocks of diving Ducks; among them we frequently 

 saw Tufted Ducks. We have also noticed pairs of Tufted Ducks in 

 the spring on ornamental waters many miles inland ; as, for instance, 

 upon the lake in Orchardleigh Park, near Eromc, which must be more 

 than thirty miles from the nearest coast. 



Although occasionally nesting in this kingdom, the Tufted Duck goes 

 far north, in company with most of the other wild-fowl, for its summer- 

 quarters. 



Scaup, Fub'f/iila mania (Linn.). 



[Blue-bill (on the Exe).] 



A winter visitor, generally arriving in October. One, however, was 

 shot on the Exe on 11th Angust, 1870. After heavy gales in autumn 

 small flocks come up the estuaries of some of the rivers on the So\ith 

 Coast, and being then very tame, or stupid, these Ducks are easily shot. 

 Mr. (jlutcombe found that adults were rare at Plymouth, and ho states 



