. The birds of the British Isles and their eggs . h. PL 2Q. Merganser. Fll. GOOSANDER. 77 where the Merganser is common. Goosanders reach Britain inOctober, but few appear in Cheshire before December ; eventhen their visits are irregular. April is the month of emigra-tion, but birds on passage will linger for a few days, even inmid-May. The elongated, cigar-shaped body is well adapted for rapidprogress in the air, on or under the water ; the bird swims withgreat speed, easily forging ahead of Mallards, even when nothurried. With neck awash and head well forward it slide
. The birds of the British Isles and their eggs . h. PL 2Q. Merganser. Fll. GOOSANDER. 77 where the Merganser is common. Goosanders reach Britain inOctober, but few appear in Cheshire before December ; eventhen their visits are irregular. April is the month of emigra-tion, but birds on passage will linger for a few days, even inmid-May. The elongated, cigar-shaped body is well adapted for rapidprogress in the air, on or under the water ; the bird swims withgreat speed, easily forging ahead of Mallards, even when nothurried. With neck awash and head well forward it slidesthrough the water, its rounded back just showing like a smallsubmarine travelling on the surface, but if suspicious it sinks itsdeck and leaves only its periscope visible. When resting on thewater its attitude is similar to that of the sleeping Great CrestedGrebe, the head and neck laid back between the wings ; thewhite coverts and flanks then hide the dark portions of thewing, and the back merely shows as a crescentic line abovethe white side. Th
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1920, bookidbirds, bookpublisherlondon
