MERGANSER SERRATOR. 283 



obtained by Oapt. Bishop at Chalibar, as already noted. Whether the 

 second bii"d was M. castor or J/, serrator I cannot ascertain. 



Beyond this there are only three recorded instances of the actual 

 occurrence of the Eed-breasted Merganser within our limits. Of these 

 the first was that obtained by Major Yerbury at Karachi, and which may 

 be the second noted by Capt. Butler. The wings of this are in the British 

 Museum. 



The second Indian specimen is that in the Indian Museum, Calcutta, 

 an unsexed specimen obtained in the Calcutta bazaar on December 17th, 

 1889. 



Thirdly, Major Nurse records the shooting of a young male serrator by 

 Captain Macnamara, at Kush-dil-Khan, about seven miles from Peshin, in 

 the Quetta District. The skin, most unfortunately, was not preserved. 



The habits of this bird vary little from those of the last, the main 

 thing about it being the fact that it is more essentially a sea-bird. Like 

 the Goosander, it generally associates in rather small flocks, but may 

 occasionally be seen in parties numbering as many as two hundred or 

 even more. 



Dresser, wanting of this bird, observes : — " In the Gulf of Bothnia, 

 wdiere the sea is fresh water, I found it extremely common in the summer 

 season, frequenting the coasts and, less often, the inland lakes, but usually 

 in places wdierc the forests extended down to the shores, and frequently 

 in localities where there are reeds or dense herbage, as is frequently the 

 case on portions of the coast. It is a wary and shy bird, soon taking- 

 alarm, and not easy to approach within range ; but I often obtained them 

 when out very early in the morning about sunrise, when they appeared 

 less shy than otherwise. It is a very expert diver ; and on the coast of 

 New Brunswick I observed them fishing in flocks at the entrance of a 

 small bay, and evidently driving the fish before them, as they formed a 

 sort of cordon round the entrance to the bay, some diving, whilst the others 

 remained on the surface. When pnrsued or threatened with danger, it 

 usually seeks safety by diving in preference to trusting to its powers of 

 flight. It flies with great swiftness, and I observed, Avhen one passed at 

 full speed near my hiding-place in the rocks, tliat it made a whistling sound 

 with its wings, easily heard even at some little distance. It feeds on fish 

 of various kinds ; larvse of water-insects, worms, and it is also said to some 

 extent frogs, form its staple food." 



Nauiiiann describes their cry as "a loud, resounding, guttural koev-rr 



