

[Creaiu.x- luiff.] 



68 North American Birds Eggs. 



The American Mergansers, 



Goosanders, or Sheldrakes, 



as they are often ^called, are 



found both on the coast and 



in the interior. PIxcept in 



certain mountainous regions, 



they breed chiefly north of 



the" Ignited States." The male 



bird has no crest and the 



head is a beautiful green, 



while the female has a red- 

 dish brown crest and head, 



shading to white on the chin. 



The}' build their nest in hol- 

 low trees near the water. 



It is made of grasses, leaves 



and moss and is lined with 



feathers from the breast of the 



female. During May, they lay from six to ten eggs of a creamy or buff color. 



Size 2.70 X 1.75. Data.— (tuu Is., Lake Winnipeg, June Ki, 1903. Eleven eggs 



in a nest of white down, locatetl between two large boulders. Collector, Walter 



Raine. 



130. Red-breasted Merganser. Merganser serrator. 

 Range. — Niirtli America, breeding from northern United States northward. 



This species is more abund- 

 ant than the preceding. It 

 is slightly smaller, being 22 

 inches in length, and the 

 male is crested. Found 

 abundantly in the United 

 States in winter. Breeds 

 commonly in the interior of 

 British America and in 

 Labrador and Newfoundland. 

 They make their nests on the 

 ground, near the water, con- 

 cealing them under rocks or 

 tufts of grass. The nest is 

 made of grasses, leaves and 

 moss and lined with feathers. 

 They lay, generally, about 

 ten eggs of a buffy or greenish 

 buff color. Size 2.50 x 1.70. 

 Two eggs in a hollow lined with down, 

 CollecFor, Jos. Hamaugh. 



[Clear buff.] 



Data. — Lake Manitoba, N. W. Canada, 

 under a patch of rose bushes near shore. 



131. Hooded Merganser. Ijiphoiltjtcs 



riiruU(itii-'<. 



Range. — North America, breeding 

 locally throughout its range, in the 

 interior. These are beautiful little 

 Ducks distinguished from all others 

 by the semi-circular, compressed crest 

 which is black with an enclosed white 

 area. They make their nests in hol- 

 low trees, in wooded districts near the 

 water, lining the cavity with grasses 

 and down. They lay ten or twelve 

 grayish white eggs. Size 2.15 x 1.70. 



[Grayish white 



