HOODED GOOSANDER. 229 



The lower neck anteriorly brownish-grey, behind brown ; the 

 upper parts in general blackish-brown, the feathers edged 

 with paler ; the tail dark greyish-brown ; the primary quills 

 and coverts greyish -brown ; the outer secondary quills broadly 

 edged externally with white, and their coverts with a white 

 mark toward the end. The lower parts are greyish -white, 

 the sides greyish-brown, and the lower tail-coverts marked 

 with the same. 



The trachea of the female, similar to that of Merganser 

 Castor, is considerably flattened, and of nearly equal breadth 

 throughout, its average width being nearly four-twelfths, but 

 toward the end only three-twelfths : its rings uniform, slen- 

 der, an hundred and fifty in number. At the lower end 

 several rings are united, and the large ring thus formed 

 dilates and bifurcates below, forming two limbs, of which the 

 right is longer. The bronchi, Avhich come ofi" at the distance 

 of four-twelfths from each other, are of moderate size, and 

 composed of twenty half-rings. 



Length to end of tail 17 ; extent of wings 25 ; bill along 

 the ridge 1-^ ; wing from flexure 7^ ; tail 3| ; tarsus 1^ ; 

 middle toe l^Vj its claw ^. 



Habits. — The proper country of this beautiful bird is 

 North America, where its habits have been studied by Mr. 

 Audubon, whose account of them I here present in an 

 abridged form : — The Hooded Mergansers arrive on the waters 

 of the western and southern states early in October, generally 

 later than many species of Duck, but sooner than the Goosan- 

 der and Red-breasted Merganser. They prefer long, narrow, 

 and moderately deep creeks and ponds, and are seldom seen 

 on the sea-coast. Their food consists of small fishes, in pur- 

 suit of which they are extremely active, being most expert 

 divers. Their flight is also very rapid, and it is difficult to 

 shoot them either when flying or when on the water. They 

 range throughout the whole United States during winter, 

 feeding in the bays and estuaries of the eastern coast, as well 

 as in the inland streams, pools, and lakes. Those which 

 remain in summer breed in holes in trees, like the Wood 

 Ducks, forming a slight nest of a few dry weeds and feathers. 



