﻿152 ANATID.E. 



so marked, that it follows up the course of rivers only as far 

 as they are influenced by the influx of the tides. Where 

 Scaup Pochards are found on inland seas or lakes, it is evi- 

 dently only for the purpose of recruiting themselves during 

 their migrations. The muddy shores of the sea suit the habits 

 of the present species most of all, from whence it swims out 

 to no greater distance than where the depth of the water is 

 within ten or twelve feet. In such localities it finds its food 

 in abundance, which consists of bivalve and univalve shell- 

 fish, for which it dives constantly, and turns up the mud with 

 its beak : for this purpose the bird in question remains quite 

 a minute under water, and after recovering its breath, repeats 

 the same for hours within a given spot, provided there is a 

 good supply of food to be found. This performance is a 

 great amusement to the observer, particularly where a number 

 of these birds are thus engaged in their daily pursuit ; but 

 the sportsman who fires at one of them and only wings his 

 bird, has a difficult task in securing his prize, because this 

 bird can swim below the surface of the water with more 

 velocity than he can row a boat. It is a beautiful sight to ob- 

 serve a string of these birds swimming on the sea, and espe- 

 cially to notice the usual manner in which they rise from that 

 element. When one of the extremities of such a long body 

 raises itself in the air, the rest rise as their turn comes ; and 

 thus they are, as it were, drawn up one by one from the sur- 

 face of the water : and when pursuing their course, they con- 

 tinue to keep the same order in the air ; on alighting the 

 same regularity is observed, unless the birds are on their 

 migratory passage, during which time they do not always fol- 

 low each other so regularly, owing to some being more tired 

 than others. 



Like many other ducks the Scaup Pochard does not excel 

 in its movements on dry land. 



