Alca. BIRDS. PALMIPIDES. 129 



part of the neck ferruginous ; throat white ; below, white tinged with yellow, 



above grey. Nest on the margin of fresh water lakes. Eggs 12, white. 



Young like the female. The young males, in female garb, have led several 

 zoologists to conclude, that the M. Castor was a distinct species. The inqui- 

 ries, however, of an acute and intelligent naturalist, the late Mr Simmonds, 

 (cut off in the prime of life, in the Island of Barbadoes, while actively en- 

 gaged in zoological researches), conducted, as I can testify, with great cau- 

 tion, enabled him to set the question at rest, by proving an identity in the 

 structure, number, and dimensions of the tracheal of the males, the vertebrae 

 of the neck, the intestines, and the tail-feathers, Linn. Trans, viii. 268. Mr 

 Low mentions a variety of the goosander, in which the whole head, neck, and 

 breast were black — Ork. 132. 



201. M. Serrator. Red-breasted Goosander. — Bill and legs 



red. Breast red. Wing-spot white, divided by black bands. 



M. cirratus fuscus, Will. Orn. 255. — M. ser. Linn. Syst. i. 208 — Penn. 



ii. 558 Temm. ii. 884. (Trachea, Linn. Trans, iv. tab. xvi. f. 1, 2,) — E, 



Lesser Toothed Diver. 



Length 21, breadth 31 inches ; weight 2 pounds. Bill dusky on the ridge ; 

 claws black. Irides purplish-red. Head and throat fine green. Crest long. 

 Fore-neck and belly white. Breast brown, spotted with black. Upper back 

 black ; lower, and rump, mixed brown and grey. Outer scapulars black ; the 

 inner white. In front of the wing, a group of white spots. The white on the 

 wing divided by two black bands. Tail short and brown. — Female with the 

 head and neck reddish-brown ; the throat white. Fore-neck and breast mixed 

 grey and white. Wing-spot divided by one black band — Nest on the margin 

 of lakes. Eggs 8, bluish-white. The young may be distinguished from the 

 preceding, by the black band on the wing-spot, and the trachea of the males 

 having only one enlargement in the middle. 



202. M. albellus. White-headed Goosander. — Bill and legs 



lead-coloured. Head, neck, and breast white. Cheeks green. 



Nape black. Wing-spot white, divided by black bands. 



Albellus alter, Will. Orn. 254 — M. alb. Linn. Syst. i. 209.— Penn. Brit. 

 Zool. ii. 559. — Temm. Orn. 887- (Trachea, Linn. Trans, iv. tab. xvi. 

 f. 3, 4.) — E, Smew, White-nun, Vare-wigeon — Whiter visitant. 



Length 18, breadth 26 inches ; weight 34 ounces. Bill about 2 inches long- 

 Irides brown. Belly and scapulars white. Back, and two crescents on the 

 side of the breast black. Tail grey. Female (M. minutus, Linn.) less. Crown, 

 cheeks, and nape reddish-brown. Fore-neck and belly white ; lower neck, 

 breast, sides, and rump grey. — Does not breed in this country. Eggs 8, white. 

 Young like the female. 



Gen. XCI. ALCA. Auk. — Base of the bill closely covered 

 with short feathers. Nostrils situate on the feathered 

 space, immediately above and behind the marginal and 

 basilar ridges. 



203. A. impennis. Great Auk. — Wings not reaching to the 



rump. Bill black. An oval white patch in front of the eye. 



Gair-fowl, Martin's St Kilda, 48 Penguin, Will. Orn. 242 — Northern 



Penguin, Edward's Birds A. im. Linn. Syst. i. 210. tab. 147 — Penn. 



Brit. Zool. ii. 507 — Temm. Orn. ii. 939.— S, Gair-fowl, King of the 

 Auks — Breeds occasionally in St Kilda. 



VOL. I. I 



