304 



KEY AND DESCRIPTION 



slightly crested, somewhat iridescent, grayish and slaty-browu 

 duck, with low^er breast streaked with buff ; the throat is white 

 and there is a Avhite stripe from tlie eye backward; the head 

 is purplish-brown on the crown, and ashy-brown on the sides. 

 The forest-bordered fresh waters form the home for this bird, and 

 a hole in tree or stump its nesting quarters. (Summer Duck.) 



Length, 18i ; wing, 0; tail, 4\ ; tarsus, If ; eulinen, If. Temperate 

 Nortli America; breeding from Florida to Hudson Bay, and wintering 

 from the Middle States to Mexico. 



FISH DUCKS (SUBFAMILY MERGfX.E) 

 Clmrncteristics piven on p. 27S 

 Key to the Species 

 OJi-lH long; frontal feathers extending beyond those on the 



* Wing, 



side 



* Wing, 



side 



* Wing, 



of the bill 41. American Merganser. 



8|-!4 long; frontal feathers not exteniling btyond those on the 



of the bill 42. Red-breasted Merganser. 



~-'6\ long ; crest on head high and tlatteneil sideways 



. .4:'). Hooded Merganser. 



41. American Mer- 

 ganser (12!). Merydii- 

 ser aiii<'ric(l)} ».s). — A 

 slightly crested, slen- 

 der-billed, dark-green- 

 headed, fish duck, 

 with the back and 

 wings black and 

 white, the tail gray, 

 and the under part.s, 

 including breast, buffy 

 white. The female is 

 reddish-brown-headed, 

 ' gray-backed and whit- 

 ish-bellied, with a 

 white patch on throat, 

 and white speculum. 

 American Merganser The head color ex- 



