RED-BRBASTED MERGANSER.
eases the absence of fish is speedily detected, and a short vis
n male and female in company remaining in this locality :
movements when feeding in the shallow water round the r
could detect no signs that they were nesting in the district.
On almost every part of the coast-line round the North.
The breeding-haunts are usually not at any great distant
ind the wild and rugged country
suitable nesting-quarters. On
¡ May; though frequently
, Highlands the Mei
nberlcss rocky i
inity of the coast, altor
re remote inland lochs.
About Gairloeh, on
rsected <
sast the
null loe
mtly pe:
,the west of KI»s"bire. Mergansers are exceedingly plentiful, and being seldom
me as tame as farmyard Ducks. I have repeatedly watched two or three females lishiug
ling down within ten yards of the front duor of the inn". The party swam in one by
lith (he flood, and, joining in company about the top of high water, made their way
igerly searched the small pools for fish. These birds, as far as 1 could judge,
bay, and regularly left their m-sts at this time of tide to seek for food along
om seen near at hand, though one would occasionally join the flock if they
d. As llio females swam back towards the islands where their nests were
ally accompany his mate a short distance, but invariably got on wing before
d. I have more than once had the glasses on the spot to watch tho bird
r having observed her leave the water; but although well aware of tho
ivariably managed to regain her quarters unobserved. In some instances I
beneath the bridge, whe
were sitting on the islan
the shore. The males
got on wing after hein:
concealed, a drake wouh
the foot of the rocks w
make her way to the
exact position of the eg
dctcclnl a regular Irack lieneath the heather, along which she was enabled to creep without attracting
attention. At this season (the hitler end of May) the males had lost the fine plumage they exhibited in
the winter and early spring; the green uf the head was now clouded with brown, the broad white ring
round the neck had disappeared, and Ihe red or tawny feathers on the breast had assumed a more dusky hue.
On Loch Shin and other large lakes in the east of Sutherland I often remarked a somewhat singular
habit of this species. Two, three, or at times even four broods join in company immediately after leaving
the nest. Occasionally all the females may he observed with this school of youngsters, but, as a rule, only
one is seen t. Having noticed these birds repeatedly making their way liack on wing from the direction of the
ig the height of
I conclude they
slight cavity in
g thick hushes
coast, it is probable they betake themselves to the salt-water firths or the open sea. Dm
summer I never observed a Merganser showing any thing approaching the male plumage,
either entirely assume the dress of the female, or retire for a time from their usual haunts.
The nest ¡- usually can-fully concealed beneath an overhanging slab of rock, or in soi
a heathery hank; at times, on the shores of inland lochs, I have seen them well hidden an
and shrubs, or under the stem of some rugged anil weather-beaten tree. Tho eggs, most frequently from eight
to fen in number, are warmly covered with the grey down from the breast of the female. The outer portion
of the nest is composed of dried strands of coarse grass, with occasionally a few small heather-stalks.
The nature of their food, which consists of any small fish they can capture, sand-eels, shrimps, and
the various insects of repulsive aspect that inhabit both fresh and salt water, necessarily imparts a strong
and disagreeable flavour to the meat; and I can safely assert that the lted-brrustcd Merganser is utterlyuseless
for the table. On different jiarts of the coast 1 have heard these Divers s|ioken of by the local gunners
as Sawbills or Spear-drakes. When unmolested, there are few birds so confiding; though if once their
RED-BREA3TED MERGANSER.
suspicious are aroused by a shot or two, I am unacquainted with any of our w ildi'ou 1 so utterly unapproachable
on ojien water.
Plato I. shows the female with a newly-hatched brood shortly after leaving the nest. 1 came unexpectedly
tin a family-parly sunning themselves TEA the rough and stony bank of a loch in the cast of Sutherland, and
noticed the whole group collected together In tin' manner depicted by the artist. This occurred on June 20,
1SGS. A week or ten days later I again found other broods in the same stage.
In Plate II. a male shot in Gairloeh on May MO, 1*11*, is figured. In many instances I remarked thai
the males have commenced assuming this dingy-coloured plumage as early as the middle of March. On
April 13, 1SG0, 1 met with from one hundred and fifty to a couple of hundred of this species swimming in
small parties on the still water in the upper part of the Little ferry, a muddy salt-water loch near Golspie *.
Never having been dist nrlnd, the birds were by no MI'siis w ild, and tin1 punt was sculled slowly through the
numerous parties while I carefully noted every stage of plumage. The two brightest, specimens that came
under observation were obtained, and I discovered they closely resembled the bird depicted in the Plate
Tbis large gathering may be accounted for by the birds having collected along the coast previous to dispersing
to their various breeding-quarters.
The full plumage of tho adult male is given in Plate I I I . The specimen from which (he sketch is taken
was shot in January Islli) on the Dornoch Firth. This bird had attracted my attention by his conspicuous
colouring for several days. The small Hock with which be kept company usually resorted to the waters of the
firth between Edderton Bay and Tain Sands. Several attempts had been made one frosty morning during
the Üood-tidc (tin- navigation of the llrth being at the time somewhat ditlicult, owing to drift-ice) to obtain a
shot at the party. The presence of the wary old drake had, however, in every instance rendered our efforts
to get within range an utter failure. Shortly before the turn of the tide, as a number of immense blocks of ice
were banked together in a most threatening manner a short distance up the river, it was considered safest to
draw in towards the landing-stage at the Meikle Terry, and knock off work for a time till the full strength of
the ebb was spent. In those days my boats were boused in a shed built up against the inn ; and w bile the
men were dragging one of our craft under cover, I remained on the small quay, watching the progress of a
squall gathering towards the north-east, and keeping a look-out for any passing fowl. Just as the flakes oí
snow were commencing to fall, I happened to catch sight of half a dozen Mergansers settling on a large slab
of ice about a couple of hundred yards to the west of the point. A momentary glance was sufficient to
ascertain the fact that our old friend was among the number; so jumping into the double punt, which was still
moored alongside the quay, I shoved off for ouo more trial. Unfortunately there was no time to summon
assistance, as the birds were now rapidly approaching, and I was consequently forced to start short-handed.
Luckily a current carried the ice on which the birds were resting over towards the south shore ; and after
clearing the cover from the lock of the gun, I had merely to make half a dozen strokes with the sculling-oar,
and then crawl forward and draw the trigger, as the barrel was pointing fairly on the unsuspecting party. The
old male at once turned over, and after giving two or three Hups with his wings, which carried him within a
yard of ihe edge of the ice, droppi d perfectly dead. It was but the Work oí a minute to run up alongside and,
grappling the slab with the iee-hook, to seize my prize. I had no chance to collect another couple or two that
vi ere lying a few feet further on the ice; so after putting a slop to the struggles of one unfortunate cripple with
the charge from a shoulder-gun, T turned my attention to the ice, which was commencing to move towards
the sea with greater rapidity. It was perfectly obvious when 1 shoved off that there could be no chañen of
regaining the ferry-point, and my object was to reach the shore on the south side of the firth at the earliest
opportunity. A dense squall of snow was now passing over, shutting out the view on all sides beyond a
dislance of fifty yards, and, owing to the darkness, rendering especially formidable the aspect of lb,' p, ,uder ,us
• Thii niece of water ia narked Loch Fleet in the mapa, hut in Ihe district I never Lejru this name applied w it.