THE HOODED MERGANSER. 763 



brown, blackening on lower scapulars ; wings the same with traces of white on 

 edges of speculum; lower breast and belly white, shaded with brownish on 

 crissum ; bill dusky, orange at base and on lower mandible. Immature: Similar 

 to adult female, but crest undeveloped. Length 17.00-19.00 (431.8-482.6) ; av. of 

 five males: wing 7.63 (193.8); tail 3.60 (91.4); bill 1.56 (39.6); tarsus 1.28 

 (32.5). Females average somewhat smaller. 



Recognition Marks. — Larger than a Teal ; very conspicuously round-crested. 

 The male even at a superficial glance could be confused only with a Buffiehead 

 (Cliaritonetta albeola). It dift'ers from it in that the white of crest does not come 

 to the edge; and, of course, in its entirely different bill. On more quiet waters, — 

 ponds and sluggish streams. 



Nesting. — Nest: in a hole of a tree or stump, lined with grasses, etc., and 

 feathers. Eggs: 10-12, sometimes more, pale bufi^y white. Av. size, 2.10 x 1.75 

 (53.3x44.5). Season: c. May ist; one brood. 



General Range. — North .America generally, south to Me.xico and Cuba, 

 breeding nearly thruout its range. Casual in Europe. 



Range in Washington. — Rather common migrant thruout the State; spar- 

 ingly resident in summer. 



Authorities.— Baird, Rep. Pac. R. R. Surv. IX. 1858, p. 816. T. C&S. Rh. 

 D-\ Kk. T. B. E. 



Specimens.— (U. of W. ) Prov. B. BN. 



THE male of this beautiful little thick is e\'en superior in diloring to that 

 of the foregoing species, being in man)- respects fully the equal of that elegant 

 among the water-fowl, the male Wood Duck. Like the other Mergansers, it 

 travels under more than one alias, being knc:)wn as Hooded Shelldrake. Hairy- 

 head, and W'ater Pheasant, the last name being perhaps the most appropriate. 



In Washington this is the rarest of the three Mergansers, e.xce|)ting in 

 spring, when it is fairly common. On the Nisqually Flats I have found it in 

 considerable numbers in March, travelling in small flocks of si.x or eight. Its 

 flight is very swift and eccentric, resembling greatly that of the Green-winged 

 Teal, for which the bird is easily mistaken in the faint light of earlv morning 

 or e\-ening. The call includes a variety of guttural chattering notes. 



Lhilike the two larger species, this bird is seldom found in swift-running 

 water, seeming to prefer the quiet streams and ponds where it can catch 

 tadpoles, small fish, and water insects, without undue exertion in {li\'ing. 



During early March the flocks separate into pairs, and late in April all 

 retire to fresh water to breed, the majority going north of the L^nited States, 

 but man)' remaining to nest along the northern border. About the first of 

 May a pair may occasionally be found nesting near any one of tlie smaller 

 unfrequented lakes of W'ashington, a natural hollow or large woodpecker hole 

 in a tree near the water being selected for a nesting place. The nest is located 

 at an elevation of from twenty to sometimes sixty feet from the ground, the 

 composition being mainly weeds and grass, with a thick inner lining of feath- 



