Merganser sorrator , 
Boston Harbor, Mass. 
1393. 
Jan. 19 . 
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( I was on a dumping scow off the outer islands where 
among other birds we saw SCO to 300 Red-breasted Mergansers). 
The Mergansers associated with the Golden-eyes to some extent 
but were perhaps oftenest seen apart in pairs or small par- 
ties. Fully 70*-.o 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 expanse of snow-covered ice with snow- 
powdered hills rising in the distance beyond. These Mergan- 
sers 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 laboriously than the Golden- 
eyes, invariably running for several yards before they could 
get clear of the water each bird leaving a line of fast-van- 
ishing foot-prints on the glassy 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. 
