60 HOODED MERGANSER. 



the hind head white and elegantly tipped with black ; it is composed of 

 two separate rows of feathers, radiating from each side of the head, and 

 which may be easily divided by the hand ; irides golden ; eye very 

 small ; neck black, which spreads to and over the back ; part of the 

 lesser wing coverts very pale ash, under which the greater coverts and 

 secondaries form four alternate bars of black and white, tertials long, 

 black, and streaked down the middle with white ; the black on the back 

 curves handsomely round in two points on the breast, which, with the 

 whole lower parts, are pure white ; sides under the wings and flanks 

 reddish brown, beautifully crossed with parallel lines of black ; tail 

 pointed, consisting of twenty feathers of a sooty brown ; legs and feet 

 flesh colored ; claws large and stout. The windpipe has a small 

 labyrinth. 



The female is rather less, the crest smaller and of a light rust or dull 

 ferruginous color, entirely destitute of the white ; the upper half of the 

 neck a dull drab, with semicircles of lighter, the white on the wings is 

 the same as in the male ; but the tertials are shorter and have less 

 white ; the back is blackish brown ; the rest of the plumage corresponds 

 very nearly with the male. 



This species is peculiar to America ; is said to arrive at Hudson's 

 Bay about the end of May ; builds close to the lakes; the nest is com- 

 posed of grass lined with feathers from the breast ; is said to lay six 

 white eggs. The young are yellow, and fit to fly in July.* 



* Hutchins, as quoted by Latham. 



