MERGANSER 



341 



and rufous streaks on the chin of the cluck. The former sex is further 

 distinguished b}- the rufous fore part of the neck below the white 

 collar, the black patch with square white spots on the sides of the 

 anterior portion of the breast, the broad white collar, interrupted along 

 the back of the neck by a narrow black line running from the head, 

 and the two black bars across the white wing-patch ; the head and 

 upper part of the neck being dark glossy green, the back and inner 

 scapulars black, the outer sdapulars mainly white, the hind part of 

 the back anci tail-coverts 

 finely barred with grey, the 

 breast and under - parts 

 white, the beak dark reddish 

 brown, with vermilion mar- 

 gins and a black " nail," the 

 legs and toes vermilion, 

 and the eyes orange -red. 

 In non - breeding dress, 

 which is worn only for a 

 short time after the nesting- 

 season, the plumage of the 

 drake is practically the 

 same as that of his mate. 

 The female merganser, 

 although smaller, is very 

 similar to the goosander 

 duck, but has a shorter 

 crest, the chin streaked with 

 rufous, the back brown 

 with grey margins to the 

 feathers, a black bar across 

 the white wing-patch, and 



no swelling on the windpipe. Voung birds are like the duck, the 

 males having a single swelling on the windpipe. The duckling is dark 

 brown above and white below, with a white spot on each side of the 

 wing, a second on the side, and a third near the tail, white cheeks, 

 and a rufous streak below the eye continued down the side of the neck 

 to form a conspicuous chestnut patch. The drake measures about 

 22 inches in length, and weighs about 2^ lbs. 



Although naturalists separate the American from the Old World 

 goosander, all are agreed that no such distinction can be made in the 

 case of the merganser, which is consequently a circumpolar species, 



THE ROWLAND WARD STUOH 



MKKGANSKK (MAI.K). 



