DUCKS, GEESE, SWANS, AND PELICANS.
Willoughby distributes the Palmipedes into such as have the back toe,
and those in which it is absent; the former, again, into such as have
the four toes webbed together, and such as have the back toe separated
from the others. These latter he again subdivides into narrow-billed and
broad-billed; the former having their bills either hooked at the end or
straight and sharp-pointed. The hook-billed have them either even or
toothed on the sides. Those which have them straight or sharp-pointed
are either short-winged and divers--such as Doukers and Loons--or
long-winged, such as Gulls. The broad-billed are divided into Ducks and
Geese. The Ducks are either Sea or Pond Ducks. "The Ducks," he adds,
"have shorter necks and larger feet, in proportion to their bodies, than
Geese. Howbeit, the biggest in this kind do equal, if not exceed, the
least in that. They have shorter legs than Geese, and situated more
backward, so that they go waddling; a broader and flatter back, and so a
more compressed body; and, lastly, a broader and flatter bill. Their
tongue is pectinated, or toothed, on each side, which is common with
them and the Geese."
"The Ducks are of two sorts, either wild or tame. The wild, again, are
of two sorts:--1, Sea Ducks, which feed mostwhat in salt waters, dive
much in feeding, have a broader bill (especially the upper one), and
bending forward to work on the stem; a large hind toe, and then, likely
for a rudder, a long train, not sharp-pointed. 2, Pond Ducks, which
haunt plashes, have a straight and narrower bill, a very little hind
toe, a sharp-pointed train, a white belly, speckled feathers, black,
with glittering green on the middle wing, with a white transverse ring
on either side."
According to Mr. Yarrell, the first division of Ducks comprises the Wild
Duck, Shieldrake, Muscovy Duck, Gadwall, Shoveller, Pintail, Widgeon,
Bimaculated Duck, Garganey, and Teals, all of which exhibit length of
neck, wings reaching to the end of the tail, tarsi somewhat round, hind
toe free or without pendent lobe. They generally frequent fresh water,
but pass much of their time on land, feeding on aquatic plants, insects,
worms, and sometimes fish. The second division includes the Red Crested
Duck, Poachard, Ferruginous Duck, Scaup, Tufted Duck, Harlequin Duck,
Long-tailed Duck, and Golden Eye; while between the two divisions he
places, as possessing some of the characters of each, the Eider Duck,
King Duck, Velvet Duck, and Scoter.
McGillivray accepts this arrangement, with some slight variations,
remarking that the differences as to habits, as well as structure, are
quite obvious; and he gives us a graphic description of the three types.
"High in air," he says, "advancing on gently-arched and outspread wings,
that winnow a passage for them over the far-spreading sea, is seen
advancing from the north a flock of large birds, that are observed, as
they draw nearer, to be arranged in lines ever undulating and changing
figure; while their clear cries seem to express their joy at having
escaped the dangers of their long passage over the waste of waters. Now
they descend, mingle their ranks, wheel in dislocated bands, unite,
sweep along, and, clamorous in their joy, at length alight on the open
pasture. Having rested awhile and plumed themselves, they begin to move
about in search of food, walking sedately and with decurrent necks,
stretching their strong bills to the ground, from which they wrench the
roots of the grasses, and pluck the herbage. Prudent, however, as they
well need be in an unexplored tract, and careful of their safety, they
neither scatter about at random nor leave themselves subject to
surprise. Should a suspicious object present itself, one of them
presently erects himself and emits a warning cry, on hearing which they
all rise together, raise their necks to their full stretch, and
carefully inspect the ground. Should the danger be imminent, they run a
few paces forward, spread out their large wings, ascend into the air,
and betake themselves to some distant place." These are of the first
division, or _Cribatores_, as Mr. McGillivray calls them--more useful to
man than the other aquatic birds, many of them not only affording him
savoury food, but feathers, quills, and down; while some have become
domesticated, and rival the Gallinaceous Fowls in utility: these are the
Ducks and Geese of the poultry-yards and commons.
These web-footed birds, the _Lamellirostræ_ of Cuvier, are distinguished
from all others by their laminated bills, which are thick, have a
covering of soft skin, also small teeth placed along the edge. The
tongue is fleshy, broad, and dentated on the edge. They are aquatic, and
principally inhabit fresh-water lakes and rivers. Their wings being
short, and living chiefly on the water, they are badly qualified for a
sustained flight. Their food is mostly vegetable.
Numerous flocks of Ducks, of various species, frequent the sea-shores
and the rivers of all parts of the world. No family of birds seems more
profusely distributed over the world of waters, and some of them are
remarkable for the brilliant colouring of their plumage. On land, the
waddling gait of Ducks is anything but graceful, but in the water their
appearance is alert and elegant. Look at them as they glide lightly over
the surface of the stream, or mark them as they plunge into its bosom
with a splash, either to bathe themselves or seek their food! All their
movements here are executed with graceful ease, and it is easy to see
that they are in their natural element. They love to paddle in the mud,
where they often find a sufficient supply of food to satisfy their
voracity. But no description of animal matter comes amiss to them,
whether water-insects, worms, slugs, snails, small frogs, bread, fresh
or tainted meat, fish, living or dead. They are such gluttons, that we
have seen two of them fighting and disputing for more than an hour over
the skin of an eel, or some other garbage, which one of them had partly
swallowed, whilst his antagonist was dragging at the other end. To this
division of the Anatidæ belongs the Mallard, or Wild Duck, which may be
considered typical of the others, and which is generally supposed to be
the ancestor of the Domestic Duck.
THE COMMON DUCK, OR MALLARD.
ENGLISH SYNONYMS.--Mallard: McGillivray, Jenyns. Common Wild Duck:
Montagu, Selby.
LATIN SYNONYM.--_Anas boschas_: Linn., Latham, Jenyns, Bonaparte,
Temminck.
FRENCH SYNONYM.--_Canard sauvage_: Temminck.
[Illustration: Fig. 86.--Wild Ducks (_Anas boschas_).]
The plumage of the Wild Duck is dense and elastic. The head, throat, and
upper part of the neck of the male are adorned with hues of a bright
emerald green, shot with violet; its breast is of a purplish brown; its
back is ashy brown, sprinkled with greyish-white zigzag bars; the four
feathers in the middle of the tail, curling up at the end in a
semicircle, are of a blackish hue with a green reflection; its length is
about twenty-four inches; length of wing, thirty-five inches. The
female, which is always smaller than her mate, does not possess the
bright colours which adorn the Drake. Her plumage is brown and russet
grey. Individuals sometimes, though seldom, vary. Sir William Jardine
states that he has seen Drakes having the upper parts of a bluish grey,
decreasing in depth of colouring down the breast; and Mr. Yarrell
mentions two instances in which females of this species have assumed, to
a considerable extent, the appearance and plumage of the Mallard, even
to the curling feathers of the tail. On the other hand, the male
plumage, according to Mr. Waterton, undergoes a singular alteration.
About the end of May the breast and back of the Drake begin to change
colour; in a few days the curled feathers of the tail drop out, and grey
feathers begin to appear in the lovely green plumage round the eyes;
and, by the 23rd of June, scarcely one green feather remains. By the 6th
of July all the green feathers have disappeared, and the male has
assumed the female garb, but darker in colour. In August this new
plumage begins to drop off, and by the middle of October the Drake again
reappears in all the rich magnificence of its former dress.
The Wild Duck (Fig. 86) forms the original stock from which our Domestic
Ducks have sprung. Their favourite resorts are to be found in those
hyperborean regions whose rigorous climate renders it uninhabitable by
man. The rivers of Lapland, Greenland, and Siberia are sometimes
literally covered with them; and, in the month of May, their nests are
there found in quantities which the imagination can scarcely picture. At
the first approach of frost their earliest harbingers begin to appear
among us, and about the middle of October these travelling bands arrive
in increasing numbers.
Wild Ducks have a powerful, sustained, and rapid flight. With one stroke
of the wing they raise themselves either from the land or water, and
mount perpendicularly above the summits of the loftiest trees, when they
take a more horizontal course, maintaining themselves at a great height,
and making long journeys without rest. Triangular columns of them may
sometimes be seen directing their unerring course towards their
destination, the rustling of their wings being heard at considerable
distances. The leading bird, which directs the course of the band, and
which is thus exposed to the first resistance of the wind, from being
foremost to cleave the air, soon becomes fatigued, when it falls back
into the second rank, its place in the van being immediately taken by
another (Fig. 87).
Wild Ducks are extremely suspicious in their nature. When they want to
settle down on any spot, or to go from one pool to another, they sweep
round in concentric curves, descending and ascending again and again,
until they have made a complete survey of their intended halting-place.
The margins of fresh-water lakes, pools, and marshes are the principal
localities frequented by the Wild Duck, so long as the frosts of
winter do not prevent their obtaining the water-insects and aquatic
weeds on which they feed. But when the frost has congealed the stagnant
waters, they take themselves off into more temperate climates,
invariably following the course of the rivers and running streams. When
they return northward after the great thaw--that is, about the end of
February--they keep in pairs, and disperse themselves in search of
breeding-places among the rushes, reeds, and sedge-grasses, constructing
a bulky nest of weeds, which is simply placed on the ground, and
generally near to water.
[Illustration: Fig. 87.--Flight of Wild Ducks.]
Much elegance is not to be looked for in the nest of the Wild Duck. A
favourite situation is a thickly-growing tuft of sedge, and they content
themselves with plucking off a few of the blades, the ends of which they
bend down so as to form a foundation, the surface being covered with a
soft layer of down. Their nests are occasionally found at some distance
from the water, amidst heath or broom, or even in the fork of a tree,
the female having been known to take possession of a Magpie's or Crow's
nest which had been abandoned.
The Duck lays from five to ten eggs, and sometimes more; their colour
varies, but is generally a dull greenish white. The female sits alone,
and only leaves the nest to seek her food. When leaving her nest, she
covers it up carefully with any rubbish at hand; on her return, the
cunning creature alights a considerable distance from it, and glides
through the grass, looking in every direction to see that she is not
watched; if discovered, she will even feign lameness to induce pursuit,
so that she may draw off intruders.
Incubation lasts about a month. The young ones are then hatched, all
generally bursting the egg on the same day. They are covered with a
close yellow down, and are quite alert when they leave the shell; and
their mother soon leads them down to the water, encouraging them by her
example to enter it. They do not return to the nest. At night their
mother covers them under her wings, and at first feeds them with the
small flies that come within her reach.
The ducklings, although they soon learn to swim, are unable to fly till
after the expiration of three months; after that lapse of time
wing-feathers are developed sufficiently to enable them to take flight.
But they are always alert and active on the water, diving and remaining
under it for many minutes with nothing but the bill above the surface.
When danger approaches, the mother utters a peculiar cry, and the young
ones immediately conceal themselves. In a ditch full of water, Mr.
McGillivray once came upon a whole brood of half-grown ducklings which
disappeared in a moment; and although he searched everywhere for them,
he did not succeed in finding a single one. When the Duck perceives the
great Black-backed Gull, the ruthless enemy of her race, she beats the
water with her wings as if to attract the attention of the aggressor. On
his approach she darts at him with so much vigour that she compels him
to retire, shamefully beaten.
Audubon relates a remarkable instance of maternal affection in this
bird. The American naturalist had found in the woods a female of this
species at the head of her young brood. As he approached, he noticed
that her feathers became erect, and that she hissed with a threatening
gesture, after the manner of Geese. In the meantime, the ducklings made
off in all directions. His Dog, which was perfectly trained, brought the
little creatures to him, one by one, without doing them the least
injury. But in all his proceedings he was watched by the mother, who
kept passing and repassing in front of him, as if to distract his
attention. When the ducklings were all safe in the game-bag, in which
they struggled and cried out, the mother came with a sad and troubled
air, and placed herself close to the sportsman, as if unable to suppress
her despair. Audubon, seeing her grovelling almost under his feet, was
filled with pity, and restored her little family before leaving the
spot. "When I turned round to watch her," adds the naturalist, "I really
fancied I could detect an expression of gratitude in her eyes; and I
experienced at that moment one of the most vivid sensations of pleasure
I have ever enjoyed."
Whilst the mother is devoting herself to the education of her brood, the
father pays but little attention to his progeny. Jaded and thin, he
lives a solitary and quiescent life, more sad and wild than ever. He
has, in fact, to submit to a most sudden course of moulting. The female
also loses her plumage after the young ones are hatched. They neither of
them regain their more brilliant dress until the end of autumn.
[Illustration: Fig. 88.--Shooting over Decoy Ducks.]
There are numerous instances proving that Wild Ducks are susceptible of
attachment to man, and it is certain that they can be easily tamed. They
also breed readily with the Domestic Duck; and the crossed birds thus
produced are said to have an excellent flavour, and to fatten with
facility. Mr. St. John, in his "Wild Sports in the Highlands," remarks
that he has frequently caught and brought home young Wild Ducks. "If
confined in a yard with tame birds for a week or two, they strike up a
companionship which keeps them from wandering when set at liberty. Some
years ago I brought home three, two of which turned out to be Drakes. I
sent away my tame Ducks, and the next season I had a large family of
half-bred and wholly Wild Ducks, as the tame and wild bred together
quite freely. The Wild Ducks which have been caught turned out the
tamest of all,--throwing off all shyness, they follow their feeder, and
will eat corn out of the hand of any one they know; while the half-bred
birds are inclined to take wing and fly away for the purpose of making
their nests at a distance."
[Illustration: Fig. 89.--Open Duck-shooting.]
The flesh of the Wild Duck is much esteemed. But they are birds which
are very difficult to approach, in consequence of their suspicious
nature; and in order to get even a long shot at them, it is necessary
to have recourse to stratagem. Even when successful in your aim, the
shot often fails to penetrate, owing to the thick layers of their downy
covering. Various artifices, therefore, are employed to lure them, all
of which require some cleverness. They are shot from a watching-place,
being seduced to its neighbourhood by employing Domestic Ducks which act
as decoys (Fig. 88). They are also shot from huts on the edge of the
water. Sometimes they are attracted by means of lights, or by imitating
their call. Many are taken in nets, in decoy-weirs, and in snares; they
are sometimes even taken by means of baited fish-hooks, and many other
strange contrivances.
The ordinary open Duck-shooting, as represented in Fig. 89, is far from
being so productive as some of the former methods, but it is much more
attractive. No sport is more uncertain, but occasionally none is more
fruitful, or more full of unexpected successes.
Duck-shooting from a hut, as represented in Fig. 90, is the method most
practised. The sportsmen are hidden in a small hut placed on the edge of
some lake or river, or it may be erected in the middle of the water on a
heap of stones. Here they lie in wait for the birds in order to get a
close shot at them. They generally use fowling-pieces of great length
and large calibre, called Duck-guns. Shooting from Duck punts is also
practised all round the coast, and on the larger lakes, ponds, and
estuaries.
On the Saône, the gunners, accompanied by a boatman, take their places
in a long, light, narrow, pointed boat, or punt, called a _fourquette_.
The two men, lying down in the bottom of the boat, are hidden by faggots
placed in front of them, the muzzle of the duck-gun protruding through
the faggots. Thus floating down the river among the Ducks, they get an
opportunity of shooting them without being perceived. Sportsmen in
France sometimes employ a very odd artifice to baffle the suspicious
instinct of these birds: a man disguises himself as a cow by means of an
outline of the animal roughly made of common cardboard. Under favour of
this disguise he gets near the Wild Ducks without exciting their fears,
if only aware how to make good use of his device; that is, if he
describes gentle and graceful curves, so as to advance gradually without
alarming the timid Palmipedes. But this sport, though productive enough
when skilfully managed, is not unattended with danger. A sportsman,
who had dressed himself up in this disguise, happened inadvertently to
find his way among a herd of cattle, which, detecting the imposture,
immediately ran at him and chased him about the meadow. He thought
himself fortunate in escaping with the loss of his disguise, which he
abandoned to the fury of his horned assailants.
[Illustration: Fig. 90.--Duck-shooting from a Hut.]
Large numbers of Ducks are taken by means of nets and various snares,
which want of space prevents us from here enumerating.
The Domestic Duck, _Anas domestica_, is a descendant of the Wild Duck,
or, as some think, of the Shoveller. The first tame Duck, the ancestor
of a family since so prodigiously multiplied, probably proceeded from an
egg which had been taken from some reedy marsh, and hatched under a Hen.
The Duck, however, has been reduced to a state of domesticity from a
very remote period, and has been of incalculable utility to mankind,
filling in our poultry-yards no unworthy place. Ducks' eggs are a
wholesome and agreeable article of food, and the flesh of the bird
itself is most savoury. Epicures highly prized, and rightly so, the
_pâtés de foie de canard_ of Toulouse, Strasbourg, Nérac, and Amiens (we
arrange them here in their order of merit, not according to Baron
Brisse's _dictum_, but following our own poor gastronomic capabilities).
Their feathers, although not so valuable as those of the Goose, are
articles of considerable importance in commerce.
Ducks produce large profits to those who rear them. They are by no means
choice in their food. Nothing comes amiss to their palate; the corn
scattered about the yard which is disdained by other fowls, and the
meanest remnants of the leavings of the table and kitchen, they do not
reject. All that they require as an essential is to have a little water
within reach in which they can paddle at will.
Ducks' eggs are often put under a Hen to be hatched. When seeking her
food, the Hen sometimes leads her little flock to the edge of water, and
gives them a glimpse of its dangers. But the ducklings, impelled by
instinct, rush into the element they are most partial to. The poor
mother, anxious for the fate of the young giddy-pates, which she loves
as her own offspring, utters cries of terror. She would resolutely throw
herself into the stream, and perhaps get drowned, were she not soothed
by seeing them swimming about, happy and active. This shows her that in
them she cannot recognise her own flesh and blood.
There are several favourite varieties of the Domestic Duck, but those of
Normandy and Picardy, in France, and the Aylesbury Ducks in England, are
the most profitable. Every nation rears Ducks; but the Chinese
undeniably most excel in this art. For hatching them the Celestials have
recourse to artificial heat. They also possess some superb varieties,
which have been recently imported into Europe, and are at the present
time the glory of our ornamental waters. Magnificent pairs of Chinese
Ducks, of which the Mandarin is the most beautiful, may be admired in
the Jardin d'Acclimatation at Paris, at the Zoological Gardens of the
Regent's Park, and also in the artificial waters in the parks and
gardens of our principal cities.
The Common Wild Duck, which we have described, is the type of the order
of Ducks; but there are about seventy other species. The most remarkable
are the Widgeon, the Poachard, the Shoveller, the Shieldrake, the Eider
Duck, the Teal, the Black Diver, and the Merganser.
THE GOLDEN-EYED GARROT.
ENGLISH SYNONYMS.--Golden-eyed Garrot: McGillivray, Yarrell, Montagu,
Jenyns, Selby. Golden-eyed Duck, Gewdy Duck, Pied Widgeon, Whistler.
LATIN SYNONYMS.--_Anas clangula_: Linn., Latham, Temminck. _Anas
glaucion_: Bonaparte, Linn., Young, Yarrell, Latham. _Clangula
vulgaris_: Selby. _Clangula chrysophthalmus_: Jenyns.
The Golden-eyed Garrot, _Anas clangula_, is sometimes called the
Golden-eyed Duck, on account of the brightness of the iris of its eye.
In some provinces it has received the nickname of the Harlequin Duck,
because its plumage, at a little distance off, looks as if it was
composed of black and white feathers only. This variegated appearance,
which occurs only in the males, makes a fine show on the dark pools and
lakes of the north Highlands and Hebrides, where the scenery in winter
is excessively dismal. When undisturbed, they float lightly on the
surface; but if alarmed, they are said to sink themselves deeper in the
water, diving rapidly, and swimming with great velocity. They fly also
swiftly in a direct manner, their small, stiff, and sharp-pointed wings
producing a whistling sound, which is heard in calm weather at a
considerable distance.[24] They rise easily from the water, striking it
with their feet and wings for several yards; but under alarm, or when
there is a breeze rippling the surface, they can ascend at once. During
winter they are met with in all parts of the country, from Shetland and
Orkney on the one side, and from the Lewis Islands on the other, to the
southern extremity of England. In Ireland, also, they are constant
winter visitors; but they do not seem to breed with us, betaking
themselves to the Arctic regions in spring, and returning in October.
They are essentially lake Ducks; but they are also found on the open
coasts and estuaries. Their flesh is dark-coloured and unsavoury, it
requiring all the art of the cook to conceal its natural fishy flavour.
[24] From the noise made by their wings they are in some localities
called Whistlers.
They are generally plentiful in our markets, where the young and females
go under the comprehensive name of Widgeons.
The Golden-eyed Garrot flies low and rapidly. In the month of November
it reaches France in small flocks, to remain till the spring. Then it
returns to its native country--Sweden, Norway, or Lapland. As it is not
a shy bird, the sportsmen on the sea-coasts of Picardy, Normandy, and
the Landes kill large quantities of them.
THE POACHARD.
ENGLISH SYNONYMS.--Red-headed Poachard: McGillivray. Poachard Montagu.
Common Poachard: Jenyns.
LATIN SYNONYMS.--_Anas ferina_: Linn., Latham, Temminck. _Aythya
ferina_: Bonaparte, McGillivray. _Fuligula ferina_: Selby, Jenyns.
FRENCH SYNONYM.--_Canard melouin_: Temminck.
The Poachard nearly resembles the American Canvas-back Duck, but is
unlike any British species in form. Its body (of the male) is large,
full, depressed, and elliptical in form; its neck long and thick; the
head large, oblong, compressed, and rounded above. The plumage is dense,
soft, and glossy. The feathers on the fore part of the head are small
and stiff; on the remainder of the head and neck soft, silky, and
blended. The wings are short, curved, narrow, and pointed. The bill
black to a little beyond the nostrils, the intermediate space light
greyish blue. The head, and half the neck all round, are of a fine
brownish-orange tint.
The Poachard (Fig. 91) is, next to that of the Common Wild Duck, the
variety which is most plentiful on our waters. It is almost as large as
the latter; it makes its nest in the rushes round pools or lakes, and
feeds upon the roots of grasses and aquatic plants, also on worms,
mollusks, and small fish. They are plentiful in the eastern counties
south of the Humber, and in the fen counties; and it occurs in America,
where, as Dr. Richardson states, it breeds in all parts of the fur
countries, from the fiftieth parallel to their most northerly limits.
Audubon found it abundant in winter about New Orleans, in East Florida,
and in Chesapeake Bay. "Although they dive much and to a great depth in
our bays and estuaries, yet, when in the shallow ponds of the interior,
they prefer dabbling in the mud along the shores, much in the manner of
the Mallard."
[Illustration: Fig. 91.--Poachard (_Anas ferina_).]
This bird reaches France in little flocks of twenty to forty in the
month of October. It can easily be caught in nets.
THE SHOVELLER.
ENGLISH SYNONYMS.--Blue-winged Shoveller: McGillivray. Common Shoveller:
Selby, Jenyns. Shoveller: Montagu.
LATIN SYNONYMS.--_Anas clypeata_: Linn., Latham, Jenyns, Temminck.
_Rhynchaspis_: Bonaparte, McGillivray.
FRENCH SYNONYMS.--_Canard Souchet_: Temminck. _Rouge de Rivière_:
Figuier.
The Shoveller (Fig. 92) is very common on the Seine and the Marne, where
it is called _Rouge de Rivière_. It is smaller than the Common Wild
Duck, and has a very long bill, with the upper mandible of a
semi-cylindrical shape, dilated at its extremity, somewhat in the form
of a small spoon. This bird is really charming in the brilliancy of its
plumage. Its head and neck are of a bright green, and its wings are
variegated with streaks of a brilliant pale blue, green, white, and
black. It is called "red" because its plumage underneath is of a
brownish-red hue. In the month of February it abandons the icy regions
of the north, to visit the more southern lakes and rivers of France and
Germany. With us it is only a straggler, although in former days, when
our system of drainage was less perfect, it was a more frequent visitor.
In France considerable numbers of the Shovellers remain and breed. It
dwells in marshes, on lakes and large rivers, being seldom found near
the sea-coast; feeding occasionally on vegetable substances, but chiefly
on fresh-water mollusks, worms, and insects, for grubbing up which, and
separating them from the sand and mud, its bill is evidently well
adapted.
[Illustration: Fig. 92.--The Shoveller (_Anas clypeata_).]
The Shoveller is met with in various parts of Europe, as well as in
Asia, Africa, and America, where it is found widely dispersed. The nest
is constructed on the borders of rushy lakes, and they lay from eight to
twelve eggs. When first hatched, the young ones are excessively ugly,
their beaks being almost as large as their bodies. The flesh of the
Shoveller is tender and delicate, and preserves its pink colour even
after it is cooked.
THE SHIELDRAKE.
ENGLISH SYNONYMS.--Burrow Shielduck: McGillivray. Shieldrake: Montagu,
Selby, Jenyns. Popular names: Skeldrake, Skelgoose, Skieling Goose,
Burrow Duck, St. George's Duck, Stockannet.
LATIN SYNONYMS.--_Anas tadorna_: Linn., Latham, Temminck. _Tadorna
vulpanser_: Selby, Bonaparte, McGillivray.
FRENCH SYNONYM.--_Canard Tadorne._
This very beautiful bird is a permanent resident in the British Islands,
although it is only met sparingly along our coasts. It resorts in spring
and summer to the sandy bays on the west coast of England and Scotland,
from the Land's End to the Shetland Islands. In autumn and winter it is
found on the eastern coast both of Scotland and England, where many
individuals remain to breed. It is generally found in the neighbourhood
of sandy, marshy land and moist meadows near the sea. It walks with a
quickish step, and has a swift flight, something like the Mallard, and
with a more rapid beat of the wings than the Goose.
[Illustration: Fig. 93.--The Shieldrake (_Anas tadorna_).]
The Shieldrake (Fig. 93) is the most remarkable of all the Duck tribe,
not only from its size, but from its beauty, and the elegant variations
of its plumage. It is larger and stands higher on its legs than the
Common Wild Duck. The plumage is full, soft, and blended; the feathers
of the head and upper neck are small and silky. The colours are very
brilliant, being of a glossy blackish green on the head and neck, with
purplish reflections in some lights; a broad band or ring of white is
found on the neck, and lower another of orange-red encircles the fore
part of the body. The rest of the under parts are white, with a band of
glossy black on the breast and belly; the back white, variegated with
black, white, russet, and green. The Shieldrake abounds on the coasts of
the Baltic and North Sea; it is also found in America, and on the
southern coasts of France, as well as on the edge of the Northern Ocean.
The nest is usually placed in some indentation in the sand, the female
frequently choosing a Rabbit's hole, which is often situated in
sand-banks. The poor Rabbit, thus turned out of its burrow, never
ventures to return to it again.
THE EIDER DUCK.
ENGLISH SYNONYMS.--Eider Duck: Montagu. Common Eider: Selby.
White-backed Eider: McGillivray. Popular names: St. Cuthbert's Duck,
Dunter Goose.
LATIN SYNONYMS.--_Anas mollissima_: Linn., Latham, Temminck. _Somateria
mollissima_: Jenyns, Bonaparte, McGillivray, Selby.
The Eider Duck, though remarkable for beauty of plumage, is nevertheless
a very clumsy bird. In form it is bulky, depressed, and elliptical, with
large, oblong, and compressed head. The plumage is dense and fine; the
head-feathers are short, tufted, and rounded, and, blending with the
terminal filaments, disunited; the wings diminutive, concave, narrow,
and pointed, the tips of which extend to the base of the tail, which is
short, round, and slightly decurvated.
The Eider Duck is the northern bird which supplies the soft, light, and
warm material which is so well known under the name of "eider-down." Its
plumage is whitish, but the upper part of the head, its belly, and its
tail are black; the side of the head, the throat, and the neck are
white, but the hair-like feathers on the back part of the cheeks and
nape are of a delicate pale green; the lower part of the neck is
cream-coloured. The black parts from their glossiness are conspicuous,
while the white look soiled; the head and back are also shaded with a
green tint.
The Eider Duck is found in the Arctic and Antarctic regions, occurring
in diminished numbers in the latter. In the Outer Hebrides it has many
breeding-places, and some nests occur on the Bass Rock, and on the Farn
Islands, off the coast of Northumberland, where the eggs have been found
in the month of June. The nest is made in some hollow in the turf, and
is composed of sea-weed and dried grass, mixed with such marine plants
as _Plantago maritima_ and _Coronopsis_. The eggs, which vary in number,
are of a longish oval shape, smooth and glossy, and of a pale greenish
grey. When they have been laid, the female is said to pluck the down
from her breast and cover them over with it. This down, when shaken out,
will occupy a space of nine or ten inches. This peculiar quality of the
down, however, caused by its elastic character, belongs to all the
Anatidæ, and probably not less so to the Anserinæ.
The principal home of the Eider Duck is on the bleak and frozen
sea-coasts of Northern Europe, and its food, which is obtained by
diving, is the bivalve mollusca; also crustacea, fishes, and fish-spawn,
together with aquatic worms. It makes its nest on rocks washed by the
sea. Sometimes two female birds lay in the same nest, which then
contains from nine to ten eggs, for each of them lays from four to six.
The nest is roughly built with sea-weed, but it is lined inside with a
thick layer of the bird's own down. "The Eider Ducks," as we learn from
Willoughby, "build themselves nests on the rocks, and lay good store of
very savoury and well-tasted eggs; for the getting of which the
neighbouring people let themselves down by ropes dangerously enough, and
with the same labour gather the feathers, or eider-dun, our people call
them, which are very soft and fit to stuff beds and quilts; for in a
small quantity they dilate themselves much, being very springy, and warm
the body above any others. These birds are wont at set times to moult
their feathers, enriching the fowlers with this desirable merchandise."
"When its young are hatched," adds the English naturalist, "it takes
them out to sea, and never looks at land till next breeding-time, nor is
seen anywhere about our coasts."
There seems to be some considerable difference between the down taken
from the dead bird and that which the female plucks from her breast. The
lightness and elasticity of the latter are such that two or three pounds
of it squeezed into a ball which may be held in the hand will expand so
as to fill a quilt large enough to cover a bed. When the female prepares
her nest, she lines it as above mentioned; when she has laid her four or
six eggs, which are about three inches in length and two in breadth, she
strips herself a second time; should this down be abstracted, as it
generally is, and she is unable to supply more, the male submits himself
to the same plucking process, his contribution being known by its paler
colour.
The haunts of a bird yielding so valuable an article are carefully
watched, and proprietors do everything in their power to attract them to
their land; and in Scotland and Norway the districts resorted to by the
Eider Ducks are strictly preserved, everything likely to disturb them
being carefully guarded against. Pennant thus records a visit he paid to
one of their breeding-places in the Farn Islands on the 15th of July,
1769:--"I found the Ducks sitting," he writes, "and I took some of the
nests, the base of which was formed of sea-plants and covered with the
down. After separating it carefully from the plants it weighed only
three-quarters of an ounce, yet was so elastic that it filled a greater
space than the crown of the largest hat. These birds are not numerous on
the isles, and it was observed that the Drakes kept on the side most
remote from the sitting-places. The Ducks continue on the nest till you
come almost to them, and when they rise, they are very slow fliers. The
eggs are of a pale olive colour, large, glossy, and smooth; they are
from three to four, warmly bedded in down." Sir George Mackenzie, in his
"Travels in Iceland," says that "the boat in its approach to Vidöe
passed multitudes of Eider Ducks, which hardly moved out of the way; and
between the landing-place and the governor's house it required some
caution to avoid treading on the nests, while the Drakes were walking
about even more familiar than common Ducks. The Ducks were sitting on
their nests all round the house, on the garden wall, on the roof, in the
inside of the house, and on the chapel."
The locality where the Eiders make their nests is always difficult of
access. Nevertheless, the inhabitants of Iceland, Lapland, and the
coasts of the North Sea invariably secure them. The harvest which is
derived from these birds is the source of a considerable revenue,
eider-down being, in fact, a very large article of commerce. The rocks
where the Eider Ducks lay their eggs are private property, and are
handed down in families just as if they were the most valuable
possessions.
THE COMMON TEAL.
ENGLISH SYNONYMS.--Common Teal: Montagu, Selby. Green-winged Teal.
LATIN SYNONYMS.--_Anas crecca_: Linn., Latham, Flemming, Temminck,
Jenyns. _Querquedula crecca_: Bonaparte, Selby, McGillivray.
FRENCH SYNONYM.--_Canard Sarcelle._
[Illustration: Fig. 94.--Common Teal (_Anas crecca_).]
This is the smallest of the Duck kind known in the British Isles. It is
a remarkably beautiful bird, and in colouring as well as in form closely
resembles the Mallard, but is much smaller. It frequents marshy places
and the margins of lakes and rivers, seldom betaking itself to estuaries
or the sea-coast until frost sets in. It walks with ease, swims with
great dexterity, flies rapidly, and is in all respects remarkable for
its activity. It rises from the water or the land at once, and shoots
away with great rapidity, so that the marksman who would bring it down
must be very expert with his gun. It breeds in the long reedy grasses on
the margin of lakes, or on upland moors and marshes. Its nest is a mass
of decayed vegetable matter lined with down and feathers, in which it
lays ten or twelve eggs, about an inch and three-quarters in length and
an inch and a quarter in breadth. North of the Tay they are found
occasionally all the year round, returning, according to Mr. St. John,
year after year to breed, if left undisturbed in the process of
incubation.
"If we compare," says Mr. McGillivray, "the Common Teal (_Anas crecca_,
Linn.), with the Garganey (_Anas circia_), the Gadwall (_Anas
strepira_), and the Pintail Duck (_Anas acuta_), we find slight
differences in the form of the bill, in the elongated lamella of the
upper mandible, in the length of the neck and tail; but they are all so
intimately connected that, unless each species can be converted into a
genus, there can be no reason for separating them." He classes them
accordingly under the general name of Teal.
This bird makes its appearance in France in spring and autumn. It breeds
in all the temperate climates of Europe, and pushes on towards the south
as the winter advances.
Of the Teals there seem to be three, probably four, species, which in
our climate may be divided into three--namely, the Common Teal, _Anas
crecca_; the Summer Teal, _Anas circia_; and the Little Teal, or Black
Diver, _Anas nigra_.
According to Columella, in his work "De Re Rustica," the Romans
succeeded in domesticating the Teal; but the bird has reverted to an
entirely wild state, which is much to be regretted, for it would have
formed a valuable addition to the poultry-yard, the flesh of the Teal
being held in great estimation.
The group of Ducks usually denominated Teal, Mr. Swainson has formed
into the sub-genus _Boschas_, in which he also includes the Mallard, or
Wild Duck. "As this is the most numerous group," says this writer, "so
it exhibits a greater diversity of form among the species. They are all,
however, characterised by a bill longer than the head, whose breadth is
equal throughout; sometimes indeed a little dilated, but never
contracted at the tip, while the laminæ of the upper mandible are
entirely concealed by the margin of the bill." "The beautiful _Anas
formosa_, which is essentially a Teal, differs," says a writer in the
"Penny Cyclopædia," "in the greater length of the tail, thus connecting
it more closely with the Pintail and other long-tailed species; while
the bill, which is depressed in form in the Mallard as well as in the
Common Duck, is convex, with projecting laminæ, in the Teal. Such is the
case with the Blue-winged Teal of North America, in which the laminæ of
the upper bill project nearly as much as in the Gadwall, while the upper
mandible exhibits that sinuosity at the base which is seen in no other
Duck except the Shoveller."
Mr. Selby says of the Common Teal: "I am inclined to think that our
indigenous breeds seldom quit the immediate neighbourhood of the places
in which they are bred, as I have repeatedly observed them to haunt the
same district from the time of their being hatched till they separated
and paired on the approach of the following spring. The Teal breeds in
the long rushy herbage about the edges of lakes, or on the boggy parts
of upland moors." Very few of them are found, according to Mr.
McGillivray, in the south of Scotland during the summer months. In
winter, one of his correspondents informs him, it unites in large
flocks, the Drakes having then a whistle like the Plover; but it has not
been heard to use this call during the breeding season. The boldness of
the female in defence of her young is very affecting. Mr. St. John
describes an instance which occurred in Ross-shire. He was riding along
when an old Teal, with eight newly-hatched young ones, crossed the road.
The youngsters could not climb the bank, and all squatted flat down
while he passed. He dismounted, and carried all the young ones a little
distance down the road to a ditch, the old bird fluttering about all the
time, and frequently coming within reach of his whip. The part of the
road where he found them passed through a thick fir-wood covered with
rank heather, and it was a great puzzle to him how such little things,
scarcely bigger than a mouse, could have struggled through it. Next day
he saw them all enjoying themselves in a pond a little distance off,
where a brood of Teal appeared every year.
Teal are less timid than the Wild Duck, and the sportsman, therefore,
has not the same difficulty in getting within shot of them. They breed
in great numbers in some of the Highland lochs, and Mr. St. John says
that in August he has seen perfect clouds of them rise from some calm,
glassy lake at the report of a gun.
THE VELVET DUCK.
ENGLISH SYNONYMS.--Velvet Duck: Montagu. Velvet Scoter: Selby, Jenyns,
McGillivray. Black Duck, White-winged Black Duck, Black Diver, Double
Scoter.
LATIN SYNONYMS.--_Anas fusca_: Linn., Latham, Temminck. _Oidemia fusca_:
Selby, Jenyns, Bonaparte, McGillivray. _Anas nigra_: French writers.
FRENCH SYNONYM.--_Canard Macreuse_: Temminck.
The Scoters (_Oidemia_, Flemming) have the bill broad, with dilated
margins, and coarse lamelliform teeth; a swelling above the nostrils,
dividing them into two equal parts, both large and elevated.
The Velvet Duck is the largest of the Scoters, and is distinguishable by
the white band upon its wing, much-depressed body, thick neck, and
large, oblong, and compressed head. They make their appearance in our
bays and estuaries towards the end of autumn, and depart about the
middle of April. In the evening they fly out to sea in flocks of fifteen
or twenty when the weather is favourable, returning to the shore in the
morning. They fly low, but with considerable speed, moving their wings
quickly; and on arriving at a suitable place, they relax a little and
alight on their hinder end, the body being kept oblique. On settling,
they commence forthwith to feed.
THE BLACK SCOTER.
ENGLISH SYNONYM.--Black Scoter: Selby, Jenyns, McGillivray.
LATIN SYNONYMS.--_Anas nigra_: Linn., Latham, Temminck. _Oidemia nigra_:
Flemming, Selby, Jenyns, Bonaparte, McGillivray.
The Black Scoter arrives on our shores about the middle of autumn in
considerable flocks, and is seen on all our western coast during winter,
but is still more abundant on the French coast. It closely resembles the
American Scoter, of which it is probably a variety.
The Black Scoter (_Oidemia nigra_) is almost as large as the Common Wild
Duck, but is shorter and more thickly made. Its plumage is entirely
black; when young it is greyish.
The Black Scoter passes its life on the surface of the water, and never
ventures on the land except when driven by stress of weather, or for the
purpose of making its nest in the marshes. It flutters rather than flies
over the surface of the sea, and makes no use of its wings, except to
escape some danger, or to transport itself from one point to another
with more rapidity. Its legs, in flying, hang down, and constantly graze
the surface of the water; it always appears as if it regretted to leave
its favourite element.
When on land, these birds walk slowly and ungracefully; but in the water
they are never wearied. Like the Petrel, they have the singular faculty
of being able to run about on the waves. They are natives of both the
Old and New World. About the month of October, driven by the north and
north-west winds, they come down from the northerly countries of Europe,
and visit our Atlantic coasts and the Mediterranean.
[Illustration: Fig. 95.--Black Scoter (_Oidemia nigra_).]
The Black Scoter delights in the salt-water pools adjacent to the sea,
and the sheltered creeks on the coast, in which they find a refuge
against storms. In these places they become the objects of the terribly
destructive sport of which we are about to speak.
Two or three times during the winter, large placards exhibited in
certain towns of the department of Hérault--at Montpellier, Cette, Agde,
&c.--announce that large flocks of these birds (called _foulques_ in the
country) having settled down on some adjacent lake, a day's sport will
be had with them on a given date. The day is turned into a real fête by
the sportsmen, and an extraordinary concourse of people are brought
together. Every one starts in the middle of the night, some in
carriages, some in carts, and the most humble among them on donkeys or
on foot. At daybreak they reach the margin of the lake. When arrived
there, they embark in boats, each provided with a rower. At a given
signal the whole flotilla puts off from the shore, and advances slowly
towards that part of the lake in which the Ducks are to be found.
These unusual preparations are a cause of astonishment to the birds,
which utter gentle cries of terror as they crowd together. The boats,
however, hem them in on all sides, gradually contracting their circle so
as to shut the birds up in an enclosed space. The Black Scoters, seeing
the enemy advancing upon them, in their anxiety take to diving and
plunging about. But, before long, being closely pressed, they spread
their wings and take flight over the heads of their enemies. This is the
signal for the commencement of the first volley. There is now no
cessation in the resounding reports of the guns; for usually no less
than five hundred sportsmen meet on the surface of a not very extensive
lake, such as those of Mauguio or Palavas. The massacre lasts for some
hours; in fact, these unfortunate birds, incapable of flying very far,
are pursued from place to place by the pitiless boats, which are soon,
like the bark of the venerable Charon, laden with the dead. When no
birds remain on the lake, the boats return to the shore, rowing along
the banks to hunt out the wounded. Three thousand of these birds will
sometimes fall before the murderous guns in the space of a few hours.
Almost as a matter of course, quarrels often arise among the sportsmen.
The cause of dispute may be some bird which has been shot at from
several boats at the same moment. These disturbances, which usually
begin with shouts and abuse, from the warmth of the southern blood
sometimes terminate fatally. In this sport tumult reaches its utmost
pitch, and it is as productive of danger as of pleasure. Sometimes a
boat capsizes, owing to the excessive eagerness of the rowers; sometimes
a sportsman is wounded by an awkward neighbour, or two or three men fall
into the water in trying to reach their prey. Such are the exciting
scenes that I have often witnessed in my youth; they were the supreme
delight of the boys of Clapas (Montpellier). The same sport is practised
at Hyères, in the Var, and on the lake of Berre, near Marseilles.
On the coasts of Picardy, where the Black Scoter abounds during winter,
very destructive means are used for their capture. Nets are stretched
horizontally in the water, above the banks of shell-fish which the sea
has left uncovered at its reflux, and on which these birds feed. When
they dive to seize their prey they become entangled in the meshes of the
net, from which they cannot escape.
The Black Scoter is also the object of individual sport when it does
not arrive in these immense flocks. It is then shot from a boat like
other water-fowl.
The Black Scoter makes but a poor figure on aristocratic tables. Its
flesh, which is by no means tender, retains a very decided marshy
flavour. In former times it was much sought after, but not exactly for
its culinary qualities. The reason this bird was shown such preference
was because people were permitted to eat it in Lent in place of fish.
The singular notions on which the Church of Rome founded this
toleration--a toleration, however, which still exists in full force even
at the present day--is as follows. The councils of the twelfth century
permitted both the clergy and laity to eat Black Scoters during Lent
because it was a generally-accepted idea, founded on the writings of
Aristotle, that these birds were not produced from an egg, but had a
vegetable origin. The learned of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance,
seeing large flocks of these birds suddenly appear, while nothing was
known whence they came, indulged in all kinds of conjectures to explain
this mysterious fact. They attributed to them origins which were
marvellous; one conjecturing that the feathery appearance in the
ciliated tentacles of certain mollusks which inhabit the barnacle shell
changed into Black Scoters; others imagined that these birds proceeded
from the wood of rotten fir-trees which had been long floating about in
the sea, or even from the fungi and marine mosses which cling to the
_débris_ of wrecked ships; others, again, went so far as to assert that
the north of Scotland, and especially the Orkney Isles, produced a tree
the fruit of which, falling into the sea, developed into the bird which
was called _Anser arboreus_, in order to commemorate its origin: this
bird they imagined was the Black Scoter.
The naturalists who gave expression to these transcendental views might
certainly boast that they had Aristotle on their side; for this
distinguished philosopher believed in the spontaneous generation of
various kinds of animals. He asserted, for instance, that rats sprung
from decayed vegetables, and that bees proceeded from the carcass of an
ox. Who, for instance, is unacquainted with the fine episode of the
fourth book of Virgil's Georgics, where this poetic fiction is related
in beautiful verse?
As a matter of fact, however, Pope Innocent III., better instructed than
Aristotle in this department of natural history, passed sentence on all
these tales by forbidding its use during Lent; but no one, either in the
monasteries, the castles, or the taverns, has ever looked at this
interdict of the sovereign pontiff in a serious point of view.
This controverted question, however, met with an unexpected solution.
Gerard Veer, a Dutch navigator, in one of his voyages to the north of
Europe, found some eggs of the Velvet Duck. Being ignorant of their
nature, he brought them home, put them under a hen, and, when they were
hatched, the produce exactly resembled the birds which were asserted by
the ancients to proceed from the decay of vegetable matter. Gerard Veer
made the announcement that these birds bred in Greenland, thus affording
a complete explanation of the absence of their eggs in southern
countries.
This discovery of the Dutch navigator met with no favourable reception.
The custom of eating the Velvet Duck in Lent had been long established;
the Church allowed it, and every one was satisfied. Gerard Veer was sent
back to his galliot, and all kinds of reasons were found for satisfying
the consciences and stomachs of the faithful, which had been justly
alarmed.
There was, however, no deficiency in the arguments brought forward. It
was asserted that the feathers of the Velvet Duck were of quite a
different nature from those of other birds; that their blood was _cold_,
and that it did not coagulate when shed; that their fat, like that of
fishes, had the property of never hardening. The analogy between the
Velvet Duck and the fishes being thus clearly established, the
permission of the councils remained in full force.
Finally, as the writers of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance were but
indifferent naturalists, and had very vaguely described the Velvet Duck,
the same mode of reproduction was ascribed to several other marsh-birds.
As a matter of course, the same toleration in Lent was extended to them.
The faithful were thus in the habit of indulging in various other birds,
such as the Brent and Bernicle Geese. The opposing claims of devotion
and appetite being thus harmlessly satisfied, no one cared to object to
a supposition which gave such general satisfaction.
We must add that this confusion of names still exists, for on the
sea-coast several varieties of the Duck genus still go by the name of
the privileged bird.
There are five principal varieties of this species. The most remarkable
are the Velvet Duck (_Oidemia fusca_), the Common Black Scoter (_O.
nigra_), and the Great-billed Black Diver (_O. perspicellata_).
THE GREAT-BILLED SCOTER.
ENGLISH SYNONYMS.--Surf Scoters: Selby, McGillivray, Jenyns. Surf Duck,
Black Duck: Pennant.
LATIN SYNONYMS.--_Anas perspicellata_: Linn., Latham, Temminck. _Oidemia
perspicellata_: Selby, Jenyns, Temminck, McGillivray.
FRENCH SYNONYMS.--_Macreuse à large bec_, _Canard marchand_.
The Great-billed Scoter is a rare bird in this country, the only
positive evidence of its occurrence being a female, shot in the Firth of
Forth, mentioned by Mr. Gould, and a recently-shot specimen sent to Mr.
Bartlett for preservation, and from which Mr. Yarrell derived his
description. It is, however, stated by Audubon as being abundant in
winter on the eastern coast of America, as far south as the mouth of the
Mississippi. In Labrador he found a female on its nest in a marsh; the
nest was snugly placed amidst the tall blades of a bunch of grass, and
was raised fully four inches above the roots. It was composed of
withered and rotten weeds, the former being circularly arranged over the
latter, producing a well-rounded cavity, six inches in diameter, and two
and a half deep; the border of the inner cup being lined with down from
the birds after the manner of the Eider Duck. In it lay five eggs, the
smallest he had ever seen in a Duck's nest. They are equally rounded at
both ends, about two inches and a half long, and an inch and
five-eighths in their greatest breadth; the shell perfectly smooth, and
of a uniform yellow colour.
The plumage of the bird is soft, dense, and glossy; the feathers of the
head and neck blended and velvety; the wings short, narrow, and pointed;
the upper mandible orange red, the protuberance on each side yellowish
grey; at the base is a large square patch of black, margined with
orange red, with a patch of greyish white in front.
* * * * *
Intimately allied to the Ducks in many respects, and to the Divers and
Cormorants in others, are the Mergansers, a very distinct family,
characterised by a large, elongated, and depressed body; long and
slender neck; oblong, compressed head, narrowing anteriorly; bill
straight, narrow, and slender, sub-cylindrical outwards, wide at the
base, and abruptly hooked at the tip; margins of both mandibles
serrated; the teeth directed backwards.
THE GOOSANDER.
ENGLISH SYNONYMS.--Goosander: Montagu, Selby, Jenyns. Dun Diver:
Montagu. Buff-breasted Goosander: McGillivray. Greater Goosander,
Saw-bill, Jacksaw.
LATIN SYNONYMS.--_Mergus merganser_: Linn., Latham, Temminck, Selby,
Jenyns. _Mergus castor_: Linn., Latham. _Merganser castor_: Bonaparte,
McGillivray.
FRENCH SYNONYMS.--_Bieune_ of the old French. _Grand Harle_: Temminck.
The Merganser (_Mergus_, from _mergere_, to submerge) is sometimes
separated from the Ducks. Prince Charles Bonaparte includes in it two
sub-genera, the Smew (_Mergus_) and the Merganser of Leach. The
Merganser is distinguished by its slender and almost cylindrical bill,
armed on the edges with points turning backwards, somewhat resembling
the teeth of a saw; yet, in its general appearance, plumage, and habits,
this bird bears much resemblance to the Ducks.
The Mergansers very rarely come on land; they are exclusively aquatic,
and frequent rivers, lakes, and pools, preferring them to estuaries; but
they may be seen in summer fishing in the sea-lochs of Scotland. The
Latins gave them the name of _Mergus_ in consequence of their habit of
swimming with the body submerged--the head only appearing above the
surface of the water.
These birds feed on fish, of which they destroy an immense number. They
also commit serious depredations on the spawning beds. They are able to
accumulate a large quantity of air in the trachea, and can therefore
remain some time under water without breathing. They take advantage of
this for diving to the bottom to seek their prey, and they will often
travel to a considerable distance before they appear again on the
surface. The activity they display in pursuit of their prey is very
great; for, in order to accelerate their speed in swimming, they make
use of their wings as well as of their feet. The Merganser is in the
habit of swallowing fish head first; consequently, it often happens that
the remainder of the body of their prey is too bulky to be easily
gorged; they are, however, very far from wishing to get rid of this
temporary inconvenience, but wait till it becomes gradually absorbed.
Sometimes the digestion of the fish's head has already commenced in the
bird's stomach whilst the tail is still projecting from its bill.
The flight of the Merganser is rapid and prolonged, without reaching any
great elevation. Their gait on land is awkward and tottering. They
generally inhabit temperate regions during the winter, and in spring
return to the high latitudes of both hemispheres, which are their
breeding-places. They lay from eight to fourteen whitish-coloured eggs,
either on the shore between two large stones, or in thickets of grass on
the edge of lakes and rivers: occasionally a hollow in a tree is
selected; but it is invariably near water. Their nest is composed of dry
grass, sedges, fibrous roots, and other similar materials, with a lining
of down plucked from the breast.
The Merganser is a regular visitor, in winter, to our coasts and inland
lakes. It breeds in North Uist and others of the Outer Hebrides. Its
flesh is unedible except when young.
THE SMEW.
ENGLISH SYNONYMS.--Smew: Montagu, Selby, Jenyns. Pied Smew: McGillivray.
White Nun: Selby. Pied Diver, Vane Widgeon.
LATIN SYNONYMS.--_Mergus albellus_: Linn., Latham, Jenyns, Bonaparte,
McGillivray. _Mergus minutus_: Young, Linn., Latham.
FRENCH SYNONYMS.--_Harle Piette_: Temminck. _Harle Huppé_: Buffon.
Like its congeners, the Smew is a native of the northern regions of both
continents, retiring southward as the winter approaches, and spreading
in great numbers over Germany, France, and Italy in October and
November, and returning northward in April. North of the Humber it is a
rare bird. Montagu says it is plentiful on the south coast, but that it
is not known to breed with us. It is of elegant form, smaller than the
Merganser, being only fifteen inches in length. The plumage of the head
is full, soft, and blended; the upper part of the head and nape
elongated, forming a gradually narrowing crest; the wings short, rather
narrow, slightly convex, and pointed--when closed reaching to within an
inch and a half from the end of the tail. The male bird, at maturity,
has a great spot of greenish black on each side of the bill, and a
longitudinal one on the occiput. The tufted crest, neck, scapulars,
small coverts of the wing, and all the lower parts are pure white; the
upper part of the back, the two crescents under the sides of the breast,
and the edges of the scapulars are deep black; the tail is ash-coloured;
sides and thighs are varied with ash-coloured zigzags; bill, tarsi, and
toes are bluish ash; webs black, and the iris brown. In habit the Smew
greatly resembles the Goosanders.
[Illustration: Fig. 96.--The Smew (_Mergus albellus_).]
* * * * *
The Goose (_Anser_) forms a special genus among the Palmipedes. It is a
bird which is often spoken of with contempt, though very improperly, for
few birds are able to afford mankind the amount of service rendered by
the despised Goose.
THE WILD GOOSE.
ENGLISH SYNONYMS.--Grey Lag Goose: Montagu, Selby. Wild Goose: Jenyns.
Marsh Goose, Grey Lag, Grey Goose, Fen Goose.
LATIN SYNONYMS.--_Anas anser_: Linn., Latham. _Anser ferus_: Temminck,
Jenyns, McGillivray. _Anser palustris_: Selby. _Anser cinereus_:
Bonaparte.
FRENCH SYNONYM.--_Oie Cendrée_: Temminck.
The Wild Goose, though by no means elegant in form, has none of the
awkwardness of the Domestic Goose, which is generally supposed to be
descended from it. The body of _Anser ferus_ is large and full; the neck
long, at its upper part slender; the head proportionately small, ovate,
oblong, and rather compressed; the feathers of the head are small,
short, rounded and blended, of a greyish brown; those of the upper part
of the neck small and oblong, and arranged in ridges with deep
intervening grooves, gradually getting paler until it fades into greyish
white; the wings are long, reaching nearly to the end of the tail, the
feathers of the fore part of the back and wings close, broad, and
abrupt; the prevailing colour a bluish grey.
The Geese in many respects resemble the Ducks and Swans, but they are
less aquatic in their habits, keeping at a distance from large bodies of
water, and frequenting, by preference, moist meadows and marshes, where
they find herbage and various kinds of seeds, on which they principally
feed. They swim very little, and seldom dive. They make their nests on
the ground, and lay from six to eight eggs, which are hatched in rather
more than one month. The young ones walk about and find their own food
almost as soon as they are hatched. Geese, especially the male birds,
moult twice a year--in June and November.
The noise made by a flock of Geese seeking their food can be heard at a
great distance. Their call, which is repeated at regular intervals,
somewhat resembles the sound of a trumpet or clarion, and is accompanied
by a continuous muttering noise in shorter notes. The hissing common
to both Geese and Ducks is produced by two membranes placed in
juxtaposition at the lower part of the trachea. These two membranes are
situated side by side in the two bony and elongated openings of the
internal larynx, from which the two principal bronchia have their
origin. A close examination of this organ in the Goose is supposed to
have contributed to the invention of certain wind instruments, such as
the flute, bassoon, bagpipes, clarionet, and even the organ.
When attacked, the Goose makes a hissing noise similar to that of some
serpents. Endeavours have been made to express this sound by the three
Latin words _strepit_, _gratitat_, _stridet_. The slightest noise wakes
them up, when they at once give the signal of alarm, which immediately
warns the whole flock of approaching danger. Thus, some authors have
maintained that the Goose is more vigilant than the Dog; and in proof of
this, instance the story of the Geese of the Capitol, whose wakefulness
saved the Romans from an attempted assault on the part of the Gauls. The
Roman people were grateful enough to award an annual sum for the
maintenance of a certain number of Geese in the Capitol; and on the
anniversary of the day when their services had been so valuable, they
were in the habit of whipping the Dogs in front of the building, as a
retrospective punishment for their culpable carelessness.
[Illustration: Fig. 97.--Wild Goose (_Anser ferus_).]
The Gauls, on the other hand, never pardoned the Goose for having
baffled their attack. Frenchmen, even in the present day, possibly the
descendants of the proud companions of Brennus, or of the conquerors of
Northern Italy, appear still to inherit this ancestral hatred. At some
of the French village fêtes they are in the habit of hanging up Geese by
the feet in order to cut through their necks with a sword, or to beat
them to death by hurling stones and sticks at their heads. At every
blow the poor creature must suffer dreadful agony, but it is left in its
pain until it dies a lingering death. It is then borne away in triumph
by the conqueror, and its mutilated carcass afterwards appears at his
table to be devoured by him and his companions. Happily, the Assemblée
Nationale has now forbidden this brutal and sanguinary amusement as
being dishonourable to a civilised nation.