92- British Diving Ducks 
out of gunshot, and at such times the birds are generally travelling to a considerable 
distance. Over large open lakes they often wheel about in small parties above the spaces of 
water where they intend to alight and fly at a great speed, like all the other members of 
this group, with necks held very stiff and straight and the crest depressed close into the 
neck. When rising they shoot out the neck parallel with the water and "run "flapping 
with considerable splashing and commotion along the surface of the water before they 
are able to get clear. In the spring they are nearly as restless as the Red-breasted 
Merganser, the males constantly indulging in " flapping " races along the surface 
of the water and making their show immediately afterwards. At a distance the males 
have a very brilliant black and white appearance and the wings are beaten so fast that 
a flock in movement has a glittering aspect. On alighting on the water they make a 
considerable disturbance and create quite a commotion on the still surface of a lake. For 
some minutes after resting they are much on the alert, and the slightest sign of danger will 
put them to wing again. Their eyesight seems to be quicker and more accurate than any 
of the Mergansers, and unless they are feeding they seldom come into the shallowest places 
under banks where they may be stalked. 
I once had a most interesting stalk at Goosanders in Argyllshire, in September 1889. 
At that time I did not know whether the males assumed an eclipse plumage or not, never 
having seen a specimen. Walking from the lodge at Glenkinglass, where I had been deer- 
stalking for a week, I followed the river Kinglass for 10 miles or so, passing on the way 
two or three female Goosanders and their young. Having arrived at the junction of the 
river where it joins the Lochtulla I saw five ducks of some kind fishing close under the 
shore opposite the Home Sanctuary and about half a mile away. The telescope showed 
these to be Goosanders, and as they all appeared to be full-grown females, I was interested 
in seeing so many adults together at this season. As I walked along it dawned upon 
me that they must be old males in full eclipse, and this surmise proved to be correct, 
when on a closer inspection one of the birds raised itself up and I saw the large spaces of 
white on the wings. 
I now made a very careful stalk, and seeing that the birds were fishing very close 
inshore towards me, I hid behind some bushes on the bank of the lake and awaited their 
coming. Most unfortunately I had left my rifle behind for the stalker to bring to the 
Forest Lodge later in the day, so I had no weapon of any kind, and so when the 
Goosanders came swimming by at a distance of 10 yards I was powerless to obtain a 
specimen. They came so close that I could watch their brilliant red eyes searching the 
shallow for trout, and observe their red crests and heads and black backs, and they 
did not become alarmed until I rose to my feet. This is the only occasion on which I 
have ever seen the males in eclipse, for they leave the females and hide themselves away 
in out-of-the-way pools and tarns as soon as they have left the females, and are at this 
season the shyest of birds. I off"ered rewards to Highland keepers, extending 
over a period of ten years, so that I might obtain a specimen in eclipse plumage, but 
numerous letters only produced females and young birds which were thought to be 
adult males. I have the greatest respect and affection for the Highlander, than whom 
there is no better man, but I cannot say that I ever met one who was a first-class 
naturalist, or one gifted with exceptional powers of observation. One man, who has a 
