District ; some stream north of Lakhimpur ; close to Sadiya ;
numerous localities near the bases of the Garo and Khasi Hills,
on both their northern and southern faces and well inside them ;*
near Jamtara about 156 miles from Calcutta on the E. I. line
of Railway {Brooks) ; at a large lake seven miles from Burrakur,
on the Grand Trunk Road where there were some hundreds
{Parker); on the Damuda in Bankurah and Bardwan;in Manbhum
and Dhalbhum on the Subanrika ; Lohardugga {Ball) ;
Singhbhum, (Chaibassa, Tickcll); the RcrRiver, Sirguja (Ball);
the Mahanadi, near Arung (Raipur), and further down almost to
Sambalpur, {Blcwitt); this latter district north of the Mahanadi,
{Bail)' Palamow.fMoney); andthcSone River near Dehreeon
Sone (/!•'. Stewart, C.S,— IV. Forsyth). Lastlyf Ajmere, near
which place Major O'Moore Creagh, V.C., shot a fine male in a
large tank.
Of course the record is still most imperfect, and I have little
doubt that the Merganser will prove to straggle during the cold
season, one year or another, to most suitable localities in the
Empire, north of say the 22nd degree North Latitude. South
of this (except, as already mentioned, on the Mahanadi) we
have as yet no reason to believe that it ever occurs.
Outside our limits we know it to be common in China, extending
as farsouth asAmoy, and visiting Japan also. Prjevalski found
it in Mongolia, in Kansu, and down at the Koko-Nor, but it does
not appear to breed in any of these localities. Throughout
Southern and South-eastern Siberia it is common, breeding in
many places. In winter it is not uncommon in the streams
about Kashgar in Eastern Turkestan, whence it was said to
migrate in summer, and breed about Lake Lob ; and it appears
to occur throughout Western Turkestan, breeding in the eastern
districts up to an elevation of 8, 5 0 0 feet. Stoliczka found it at
Lake Sirikul (Lake Victoria of Woods) on the Pamir (elevation
1 0 , 0 0 0 to 1 1 , 0 0 0 feet) early in May, where also it was said to
breed. It is not uncommon in the larger streams of Afghanistan,
and is a regular visitant to the Mckran Coast, where Bishop
observed it for three successive years at Chabour and Jask.J
Beyond this we have no record of its occurrence in Asia or any
part of Africa, except Algeria and Tangiers, to which it straggles
in severe winters.
Excepting Iceland, it occurs pretty well throughout Europe
(south of the Arctic Circle; summering and breeding (probably,
except in Denmark and Northern Germany, scarcely south of
the 55th degree North Latitude) in the north and wintering in
* Davison found a pair on a large stream, between Shillong and Chirapunji, at
an elevation of about 5.000 feet, in December.
T No doubt the occurrence of tins species at Kurrachee. where one was shot at
Manoura Point by Captain Bishop, was announced in STRAY FEATHERS. But an
examination of this specimen, which was kindly sent me. proves it to be fema'.e of
Slerrus so rat or, the Rcd-breastcil Merganser.
J ' i t is quite possible, however, that these were referable to the next species,
the south. Throughout the temperate zone of North America
it occurs similarly, wintering as far south as Northern Mexico
and California, and breeding northwards to places little south
of the Arctic Circle.
Broadly speaking its range is the temperate zone of the
Northern Hemisphere.
IN THE Himalayas you meet with the Merganser at all seasons ;
in summer in the higher valleys and fresh-water lakes, at 10,000
feet elevation and upwards ; in winter in the low river valleys at
elevations of 700 to 2,000 feet ; and in spring and autumn at
intermediate elevations. Outside these mountains you seldom,
if ever, see them before December or later than March. You
meet them most commonly, I think, in small parties of seven to
twenty ; but I have seen single birds at times, not unfrequently
pairs, and twice large flocks.
As far as I can judge they almost exclusively frequent rivers
or lakes, carrying a good head of water, and with more or less
rocky, pebbly, or coarse sandy bottoms. I have never yet seen
one in any river where it flowed through clay, mud, or alluvial
soil. I have never myself seen them in any lake, but they do
occur in such, and out at sea, on rocky coasts—further out, or
closer in, according to the weather.
On rivers, as on the Ganges above Ilurdwar, they will float
down with the stream for a couple of miles, and if not hungry,
they rise and fly back again ; but more commonly they fish their
way back, diving incessantly the whole way ; and despite their
activity, taking a long time to make their way back to where
they started from. When gorged they often sit on some rock
in the middle of the water, sitting very upright and Cormorantlike,
often half-opening their wings to the sun. In the interior,
where you find them in smaller streams, they are rarely in parties
of more than three or four—most generally at that time in
pairs—and then they arc cither flying up stream, or floating down,
twisting round and round in the rapids, or fishing vigorously in
some deep pool near the foot of some waterfall or rapid.
When floating down stream they are often nearly as high out
of the water as a common duck ; but when swimming—and
especially swimming against stream—they sit very deep in the
water much like Cormorants ; and if wounded and pursued,
never raise more than the head and neck above the surface.
They are famous divers, quite Cormorant-like in this matter,
though I think hardly so agile as the Smew. On land one
only sees them resting near the water's edge, and when
disturbed they shuffle on their breasts into the river. I do not
think that they can walk at all. Anyhow I have always seen
them just half-glide, half-wriggle, breast foremost, and I think
touching the rock, into the water. They rise heavily from the
water, taking many yards, during which they flap along the