THE GOOSANOER 
WERGANSER. 
——— 9. 
Mercus merganser, Linné. 
——— J) — 
Vernacular Names.—[?; Ala ghaz aurdak, (7uri,) Varkand. | 
———_ 9 —_—_—__— 
=) HE Goosander is a permanent resident of the Hima- 
layas from Gilgit to Sadiya, breeding in the higher 
valleys, and in the winter making its appearance in 
every considerable river near its debouch from the 
mountains, wandering pretty generally well down 
into the submontane tracts, and straying eastwards, 
= at any rate, to the southernmost limits of the tem- 
perate zone, or even just inside the Tropics, 
In the larger rivers of the Himalayas, though nowhere 
numerically very abundant, they are so universally distributed 
high up in summer, low down in winter, that it is needless to 
specify the particular localities, over 70 in number, whence I 
have received them, or where they have been reported to have 
been obtained. 
Outside the Himalayas, I have received them, or know for 
certain of their having been obtained from the Peshawar Valley 
in the Cabul River; near Attock, Kalabagh, and just above 
Dera Ismail Khan in the Indus; near Sealkot in the Chenab 
and smaller streams ; the Kangra Valley; below Roopur in the 
Sutlej ; Dehra Dun, not only in the Ganges from Rukikes to 
below Hardwar, but in the interior ; Pilibhit in the Sardeh; the 
Sandi Jhil, near Hurdui (/7dy) ; the Kosi River towards the north 
of the Purneah district ; the Western Doars (where they appear 
to be extremely numerous)*; the Monas in the Kamrup 
* Mr. J. R. Cripps writes :—‘‘ In the Western Doars I have seen numbers of 
this species in flocks of from 50 to 200 The furthest point from the hills that I have 
seen them has been at Ram Sahai Hat, which is thirteen miles from the nearest range 
of hills, and past which the ‘ Juldoka’ river flows. This river has a sandy and pebbly 
bottom, and these birds were to be seen feeding along its course during the early fore- 
noon only. They appeared to stick to the spots where the stream ran over a bank of 
pebbles, and their manner of fishing was exactly as described by Mr. Ball, who says : 
‘** In the Subanrika they may be seen in parties swimming against the stream. and all 
diving together, apparently to catch fish. The sudden disappearance of the whole 
flock at the same moment gives the idea that they work in concert in hunting the 
fish which are coming down with the stream. Their flight is very rapid. They 
arrived in November and left in March,” 
