342 DUCK GROUP 



breeding in the colder i)arts of the northern hemisphere, and in winter 

 visiting the Mediterranean, the Russian inland seas, south - western 

 Asia, and Baluchistan, China, Japan, and the United States and 

 Bermudas. In addition to its circumpolar habitat, the merganser 

 is further noteworthy as being the only member of the group 

 which habitually breeds in the British Islands, where, however, its 

 nesting-range is, at least normal!}', restricted to the Shetlands, 

 Orkneys, Hebrides, Scotland (mainly in the north and west), and 

 Ireland, although an adult male has been seen in Norfolk during the 

 summer. In England it is, as a rule, merely a winter-visitor to the 

 coasts, seldom, except under stress of weather, venturing any distance 

 inland. Still, it may occasionally be seen some distance away from 

 the sea. In Scotland its breeding-resorts may be either on inland 

 lakes or on the coast ; and in the Isles, Stromness in Orkney, and 

 Dunvegan in Skye, are well-known nesting-resorts, from both of which 

 the British Museum possesses eggs. In Ireland, where it is known as 

 the shell-duck or spear-wigeon, it has an extensive and increasing 

 breeding-range from Kerry to Donegal and Down, but in the cast 

 and south is generally known only as a winter immigrant. Within its 

 nesting-area it breeds alike on the shores of estuaries and on the 

 islands of the numerous inland lakes ; and is in some districts one of 

 the commonest of the resident representatives of the duck tribe. In 

 winter the mergansers desert their inland breeding - resorts for the 

 sheltered estuaries and inlets of the coast, where food is more easily 

 procured, and where they are joined by immigrants from the north. 



June appears to be the general time for nesting in Ireland, 

 although eggs are sometimes taken in the latter part of I\Iay. Rank 

 herbage fringing the lakes is stated to be the favourite situation for 

 the nest, although this may be in a hollow in open shingly ground, 

 or even at the root of a tree. As would be expected from such 

 breeding-sites, the down with which the nest is supplied is, in place of 

 the pale grey of that of the goosander, greyish brown, with a dull 

 white central star and hoary tips to each filament. Usually the 

 clutch is smaller than that of the goosander, comprising from six to 

 nine eggs, although occasionally the number may reach half-a-scorc, or 

 even a dozen. In colour the eggs vary from olive-stone to creamy buff, 

 and in length from 2.45 to 2.65 inches, being thus slightly smaller, on 

 the average, than those of the goosander, which range from 2^ to a 

 point below 3 inches. Nothing noteworthy in the matter of habits 

 appears to distinguish the merganser from its cousin the goosander. 



The hooded inerganser {Mcrs;(jnscr aicnliatus), of Greenland and 



