THE GOOSANDER. 
171 
in Latham. On my representing to Mr. Knox the desirability 
of procuring a specimen of the bird in question, he endeavoured 
for a long time to do so, but ineffectually. I have not the least 
doubt, however, that the bird alluded to is the M. senator, which 
is indigenous, and regularly breeds about our northern and other 
lakes, at some of which it is called scale-duck, as already men- 
tioned. 
Audubon gives a very complete description of the habits of 
the goosander, from which I shall extract a few sentences. He 
states : — I have found fishes in its stomach seven inches in 
length, and of smaller kinds, so many as to weigh more than 
half a pound. Digestion takes place with great rapidity, inso- 
much that some which I fed in captivity devoured more than two 
dozen of fishes about four inches in length, four times daily, and 
yet always seemed to be desirous of more — the rapidity of 
digestion in the specimens which came under my own examina- 
tion was most striking, as it likewise was in the case of the red- 
breasted mergansers. The same author remarks : — “ The flight 
of the goosander is powerful, and as rapid and sustained as that 
of the red-breasted and hooded mergansers. When fairly under 
weigh and at a good height, they advance in an almost direct 
course, and proceed with surprising velocity, so that when sud- 
denly apprised of the vicinity of man, they at times find it diffi- 
cult to check their speed so quickly as may be necessary for their 
safety. I well remember that on several occasions having watched 
one of these birds flying directly up a creek, and towards me, I 
have taken aim at it and fired when it was at the proper distance, 
and yet, such had been its velocity, -that it would advance after 
being shot many yards towards me .” — ‘ Orn. Biog/ vol. iv. p. 262. 
The goosander is apparently less common in Ireland than in 
Scotland, but is perhaps as frequent as in England. 
