The Red-Breasted Merganser. 197 



the Continent, but not higher than the limit of the forest belt. In the winter it 

 is a rare visitor to the Astrakhan district, and passes through the Caucasus on the 

 autumn migration, where it is not uncommon in small flocks in November. It 

 visits the Persian Gulf, and in the east, China, Japan, and the Loo-choo Islands, 

 where an example was shot on February 26th, 1892. The Merganser is not known 

 to visit India. 



The American Merganser cannot be separated from the old world species ; the 

 two are in every respect identical. It nests across the whole of that Continent 

 from E. to W., and from lat. 45" N. The limit of its northerly range, however, 

 seems uncertain ; but it is said to be partly a resident in Greenland, and to breed 

 quite generally both in the north and south of that country. Mr. E. W. Nelson 

 considers it the commonest species of Sheldrake — the American name for the 

 Merganser— on both shores of Bering's Sea ; it nests on St. Lawrence Island, and 

 on both the American and Siberian coasts, on the former being not only common 

 but abundant. Dall found it on the Aleutian Islands. In the winter the 

 Merganser goes as far south as the most southern states and the Bermudas. 



Returning to Great Britain, Mr. G. H. Caton Haigh considers the Merganser 

 " an exceedingly common bird on the Welsh coast, frequenting the estuaries in 

 flocks of from three and four to one hundred. They are most abundant on the 

 spring migration, which takes place in March and April, a few remaining into 

 May. Their food consists of small fish, particularly flounders, shrimps and crabs, 

 the last named, if small, are swallowed entire, but if large the bird breaks off the 

 legs before swallowing. The Merganser appears unable to crush the shell as the 

 Divers do ; it is a quick and graceful diver, keeping the wings shut ; * the usual 

 length of time under water is fifteen to twenty seconds. The note of the female 

 is a harsh quack uttered once generally when frightened, I never heard the male 

 utter any sound." 



I know of no more beautiful sight than to watch a party of Mergansers on 

 the feed. I have seen thepi in water perfectly smooth and in a heavy sea ; every 

 motion is instinct with life, grace, and imperceptible action. In diving they seem 

 slightly to elevate the front of the body, as if gathering impetus, and then 

 disappear instantly without any apparent effort or troubling of the water. They 

 rise to the surface as easily as they go down, and if a fish has been captured it 

 is brought up cross-ways in the bill, adjusted, and swallowed. In a heavy sea they 



* Mr. Haigh has had unusually good opportunities, on a rockj- shore, of watching the Merganser fishing 

 in perfectly clear water, so as to note the position of the wings. On the other hand, Macgillivray says when 

 fishing "they shoot along under the water, with partially out-spread wings." Saxby also, writing on the same 



subject, "When watching the Merganser diving, I have observed that it invariably uses its wings as well as 



its feet." The probability is that all are right, and that it varies the wing action according to the strength of 

 the tide or current and the depth of water. 



Vol IV, 2 K 



