1893  
Jan'y 19
(No 5)
 to some extent but were perhaps oftenest seen
apart in pairs or small parties. Fully 70% were
adult males. Four or five of these swimming in
line along the edge of the ice with necks stretched
up and crests expanded made a striking picture
of winter bird life especially when, as was usually
the case, the background was formed by a broad
expansion of snow-covered ice with snow-powdered
hills rising in the distance beyond. These Mergansers
were the tamest of all the water fowl seen on this
trip. Many allowed the tug to get within half-
gunshot before flying. They rose much more
awkwardly and labouriously  than the Golden-eyes,
invariably running for several yards before they
could get clear of the water each bird leaving
a line of fast-vanishing foot prints on the glossy
surface and ruffling or dimpling it, for many
rods beyond the point where it drew up its feet,
by the wind caused by its powerful wing beats.
[margin] Red-breasted
Mergansers[/margin]
  The Gooseander, a fine old drake in full plumage,
was swimming in a narrow channel in the ice off
Fort Winthrop near, but evidently not in company
with, several Red-breasted Mergansers from which 
we had no difficulty in distinguishing it, even
without the aid of our glasses, for we passed
within less than 100 yards of the bird. Neither
Bangs nor I had ever before seen a Gooseander in
salt water.
[margin]Gosseander
in salt water[/margin]
  The Velvet Scoter, also an old male & alone, was