130 British Diving Ducks 
stadt by vertically placed decoy-lines called Bat t and Dorschgarne. Near Kiel, too, thou- 
sands are sometimes caught and shot in winter, and after supplying the neighbourhood 
are sent in waggon-loads to Hamburg and other towns, but the birds are not now so 
plentiful as they were. 
Mr. St. Quintin has been so fortunate as to possess a pair of these ducks, which I had 
the pleasure of seeing in good health in May 191 1. Mr. A. F. Moody has kindly sent me 
some interesting observations of these two birds : — 
" I am acquainted with but one example of this species, a female, that has thriven here since 
February 23, 1909. It is a happy and hardy little bird, and of the various water-fowl that we possess is 
undoubtedly one of the most interesting. In appearance it differs greatly from any other duck, and is 
conspicuous chiefly by its pied plumage and the flat appearance that it presents upon the water. 
" Regarding its habits, it rarely leaves the water any distance, and although exceedingly tame it 
is only very occasionally that it will allow itself to be enticed some ten or fifteen feet from the bank to be 
fed. It is then noticeable that it walks in an upright Guillemot-like attitude, so much so that it gready 
reminds one of that bird, and when putting its head to the ground it appears to experience some difficulty 
in retaining its equilibrium, and frequently ends by lying down to eat. On the water it is of course an 
expert diver, and its activity is such that when hurrying from a distance to be fed in answer to the accus- 
tomed whistle, it realises its advantages under water, and frequently prefers to gain time by covering the 
intervening space by a succession of long dives. As to diet, although it may occasionally be seen to take 
a minute quantity of grain with the surface feeders or a little hemp seed with an ailing bird, it eats freely 
of and lives entirely upon a similar fare to the Eider Ducks, and on diving into deep water for food it is 
noticeable that it affects a spiral course. Particles of food less than a minnow are usually swallowed 
below, while larger pieces are brought to the surface and vigorously shaken until the desired size and con- 
sistency is acquired. The bird eats rapidly and rather greedily, and usually concludes a meal by bathing, 
which process being somewhat peculiar in itself, I shall attempt to describe. First for a few feet the bird 
shoots or threads its way in or out of the water just beneath the surface, accompanying each or at any 
rate the last appearance with a splash, after which it partly raises and shakes its wings in the ordinary 
way, but finally ends by preening its breast feathers when sitting perpendicular in the water, an attitude 
that it appears able to maintain for several seconds by paddling with the feet. With other birds it 
appears inoffensive and retiring, so much so that it greatly dislikes being mixed in a crowd ; also I have 
omitted to add that this bird is, for a diving duck, during the summer months a most enthusiastic and 
untiring fly-catcher, and is almost duckling-like in the manner in which it zig-zags a course along the 
surface, cleverly snapping a fly at every twist. (April 191 1.) 
" Since writing the above we have been singularly fortunate, through the kindness of Mr. Hugh 
Wormald, in securing as a mate for the duck Longtail, a beautiful and adult male. This bird was received 
almost direct from the Dutch catchers on January 12th of the present year. It reached here (East Yorks) 
in perfect condition, and from the first proved like the female, and in contrast to such other newly caught 
sea ducks as I have acclimatised, a ready feeder and an easy subject to establish. As to food, from 
the day of its arrival it took greedily to pieces of fish, bullock's liver, or rabbit's flesh ; in fact, its natural 
tameness and eagerness for food was such that on being liberated on a small pond it dived immediately 
and continuously for food thrown from the hand, while about three weeks later, on being transferred to a 
piece of water of nearly two acres in extent, it would from a distance of quite 150 yards come noisily 
flapping along the surface to meet one, and on arriving at close quarters show further proof of its con- 
fidence by attentively watching the hand, and with gaping bill actually leap into the air and endeavour to 
intercept fragments of food before they reached the water. Regarding this bird's behaviour with the 
duck at first he appeared almost indifferent to her presence ; soon, however (probably within a fortnight), 
they began to converse and associate together, while on the 23rd of March, or within three months of his 
probable capture, they were seen to pair. This they did to our knowledge two or three times within the 
next few days, and at the time of writing (April 30th) have for some weeks been swimming in company 
and have every appearance of nesting. Concerning this drake's attitude towards the males of other 
species, he is not at all aggressive or as continually noisy as I have heard the wild bird represented to 
