THE HOODED MERGANSER. 403 



At length, having satisfied their appetite, they rise on wing, fly low over the 

 creek with almost incredible velocity, return to the broad stream, rove along 

 its margin until they meet with a clean sand-beach, where they alight, and 

 where, secure from danger, they repose until the return of day. A sly 

 racoon may, when in search of mussels, chance to meet with the sleeping 

 birds, and surprise one of them; but this rarely happens, for they are as 

 wary and vigilant as their enemy is cunning, and were the prowler to 

 depend upon Hooded Mergansers for food, he would be lean enough. 



This bird ranges throughout the United States during winter, content with 

 the food it meets with in the bays and estuaries of the eastern coast, and on 

 the inland streams. The dam of the Pennsylvania miller is as agreeable to 

 it as that of the Carolina rice-planter. The Lehigh and Brandywine creek 

 have their fishes, as well as the waters of Bear Grass or Bayou Sara. Nay, 

 the numerous streams and pools of the interior of the Floridas are resorted 

 to by this species, and there I have found them full of life and gaiety, as 

 well as on the Missouri, and on our great lakes. When the weather proves 

 too cold for them, they move southwards, many of them removing towards 

 Mexico. 



The Hooded Merganser is a most expert diver, and so vigilant that at 

 times it escapes even from the best percussion gun. As to shooting at it 

 with a flint lock, you may save yourself the trouble unless you prevent it 

 from seeing the flash of the pan. If you wound one, never follow it: the 

 bird, when its strength is almost exhausted, immerses its body, raises the 

 point of its bill above the surface, and in this manner makes its way among 

 the plants, until finding some safe retreat along the shore, it betakes itself to 

 it, and there remains, so that you may search for it in vain, unless you have 

 a good dog. Even on wing it is not easily shot. If on a creek ever so 

 narrow, it will fly directly towards its mouth, although you may be standing 

 knee-deep in the middle. It comes up like a ball, rises and passes over head 

 with astonishing speed, and if you shoot at it, do not calculate upon a hit. 

 You may guess how many one may shoot in a day. 



When I removed from Pennsylvania to Kentucky, the Hooded Merganser 

 was not uncommon in the neighbourhood of Louisville during summer, and 

 I told Wilson so. On several occasions I caught the young with a partridge 

 net; and let me assure you, reader, that they are not yellow, as is alleged 

 by some writers, but very dark brown. Even when feathered they retain 

 the same colour until the beginning of August, when they gradually change 

 it for the dress of the adult female. 



Like all the rest of the tribe, which, when far north, for the want of 

 hollow trees, breed on the moss or ground, the Hooded Mergansers that 

 remain with us nestle in the same kind of holes or hollows as the Wood 



