l.IiK HlSTOKlKS OF XORTli AMEKICAX WILD FOWF.. 29 



after, a differcTit noise, as if produced by an eagle stooping on her prey, when gliding 

 downward with the rapidity of an arrow, he dimly perceives the hooded mergansers 

 Sweeping past. Five or six, perhaps 10, tlicre are; with quick beats ol their pinions, 

 they fly low over the waters in wide circles. Now they have spied the entrance of a 

 creek; there they shoot into it, and in a few seconds you hear the rushing noise which 

 they make as they alight on the bosom of the still pool. How often have I enjoyed 

 such scenes, when enticed abroad by the clear light of the silvery moon, I have wan- 

 dered on the shores of la belle rivifere to indulge in the contemplation of nature! 



Up the creek the mergansers proceed, washing their bodies by short plunges, and 

 splashing up the water about them. Then they plume themselves, and anoint iheir 

 feathers, now and then emitting a low grunting note of pleasure. And now they dive 

 in search of minnows, which they find in abundance, and which no doubt prove de- 

 licious food to the hungry travelers. At length, ha\nng satisfied their appetite, they 

 rise on wing, fly low over the creek with almost incredible velocity, return to the 

 broad stream, rove along its margin until they meet with a clean sand beach, where 

 they alight, and where, secure from danger, they repose until the return of day. A sly 

 raccoon may, when in search of mussels, chance to meet with the sleeping birds, and 

 surprise one of them; but this rarely happens, for they are as wary and vigilant aa 

 their enemy is cunning, and were the prowler to depend upon the hooded mergansers 

 for food, he would be lean enough. 



Game. — From the sportsman's standpoint this is not an important 

 species. It is a difficult bird to hit on the wing, it is small and its 

 flesh is not particularly attractive to eat; it is often very fat and 

 when it has been feeding on grain or vegetable food its flavor is not 

 bad. It is rather tame and unsuspicious, coming readily to decoys. 

 It is known by a variety of names such as " wood sheldrake," " water 

 pheasant," "hairy crown," etc. 



"Winter. — The hooded merganser is resident throughout the year 

 over much of its range, wintering as far north as it can find open 

 water in which it can obtain its food supply. Doctor Hatch (1892) 

 says that, in Minnesota, " they stay as long as the ice will let them on 

 the shores of the lakes, whence they go to open rapids, and late in 

 November mostly drift more southward." Dr. Amos W. Butler (1897) 

 writes, in regard to Indiana : 



Throughout the State the hooded merganser may be found in winter, the more 

 numerous the more open the winters, and always attracted to the open water, so that 

 in the most severe winters they are most to be observed on the rapid streams of 

 southern Indiana, where ripples and rapids are about tlie only places they can find at 

 which to congregate. 



Although a few migrate beyond our borders, the principal winter 

 home of the species is in the States ])ordering on the Gulf of Mexico, 

 where they frequent the inland waters, seldom if ever being seen on 

 salt water. 



DISTRIBUTION. 



Breeding range. — Temperate North America, locally. East to 

 western Nc^^' Brunswick (St. Croix River), eastern New York (Adi- 

 rondacks and Catskills), central Pennsylvania (Williamsport), and 

 eastern South Carolina (Berkeley County). South to central Florida 



