366 CLANGULA HYEMALIS 



they swam close to the bottom and never collided with the fence-wire or other ob- 

 stacles. They never used their wings under water (perhaps because they were 

 pinioned) and usually stayed under about half a minute. When they wished to stay 

 under for a longer time they had a way of expelling the air from their feathers, which 

 caused a stream of bubbles to come up behind them. He fed these birds and some 

 Black Scoters chopped-up fish, of which they much preferred the salt-water kinds. 

 The food which they picked up on bottom they "sucked in," rarely bringing any to 

 the surface. They became extremely tame and learned to know their keeper. When 

 the latter approached them they showed their hunger by frequent diving, and some- 

 times uttered a soft entreating wok. These birds never came to the shore while 

 healthy. Only after he had to omit the salt-water fish from their fare, did he begin to 

 notice that some of the feathers of the posterior parts were wet and the birds began 

 to come to shore. 



Hybrids. None recorded. 



