76 BIRDS OF ICELAND 



six to ten in number and nearly 2 J inches long, and are 

 surrounded, during incubation, with a dirty-grey down. 



The drake Goosander is a very handsome bird, with 

 his snow-white breast, black crested head and upper 

 neck, and black-and-white wings. Length 26 inches, 

 wiog llj inches. The female has the head and neck 

 rusty red, the upper parts grey, with a white speculum 

 on the wing, underparts white. Length 230 inches, 

 wing 10-|- inches. 



I am afraid that this bird deserves shooting when 

 found on a salmon or trout water, or its tributaries ; 

 afterwards they form a suitable object by means of 

 which any one can acquire a reputation for generosity 

 inexpensively. At all events, I should prefer not to 

 dine off a Goosander myself; and I should hesitate to 

 give one to any person I had a regard for. 



Mergus serrator, Linn. Merganser. 



Native name : ' Litla toppond.' 



Resident and common — too common ; as it, like the 

 Goosander, is terribly destructive to fresh-water fish. 



The nest of the Merganser is usually well concealed 

 amongst vegetation, in a hole in the ground, or amongst 

 lava blocks, and the eo^s, six to nine in number, are 

 packed during incubation in a dirty-white down. 

 Their colour is drab, often, but not always, with a 

 greenish tinge when fresh. 



The description of the Goosander drake will serve for 

 a general description of this bird ; but the Merganser 



