MEGG Y— MERGANSER 543 



desci'ibed,^ and so often repeated by other Avriters, as to be very 

 commonly known, and here there seems no necessity to enter into 

 further details concerning it. 



MEGGY, properly an abbreviation of Margaret, a nickname of 

 the Whitethroat ; but perhaps a corruption of MuGGY. 



MEGISTANES, Vieillot's name in 1816 {Analyse, p. 53) for a 

 group containing the four genera of Ratite birds then known, 

 Struthio, Rhea, Casuarius, and Drommis, and since applied {Ann. 

 & Mag. N. H. ser. 4, xx. p. 500) to the Order composed of the two 

 last (Cassowary, Emeu). 



MELANISM (adj. melanistic) the abnormal occurrence of 

 black or very dark coloured plumage (see Colour, p. 99, and 

 Heterochrosis, p. 420). 



MERGANSEE, a word originating with Gesner {Hist. Anim. 

 iii. p. 129) in 1555, and for a long while used in English as the 

 general name of a group of fish-eating Ducks which possess great 

 diving powers, and form the genus Mergus of Linnseus, now regarded 

 by ornithologists as a subfamily, 

 Merghm, of the Family Anatidx. 

 They have a long, narrow bill, with 

 a small but evident hook at the tip, 

 and the edges of both mandibles beset 

 by numerous horny denticulations, bill of jtERcus. (After Swaiuson.) 

 whence the name of " Saw-bill " is 



frequently applied to them. Othermse their structure does not much 

 depart from the Anatine or rather Fuliguline type. All the species 

 bear a more or less developed crest or tuft on the head. Three of 

 them, Mergus merganser or castor, M. serrator, and M. albeUus, ai'e found 

 over the northern parts of the Old World, and of these the first two 

 also inhabit North America, which has besides a fourth species, 31. 

 cumllatus, said to have occasionally visited Britain. M. merganser, 

 the Goosander, is the largest species, being nearly as big as the 

 smaller Geese, and the adult male in breeding-attire is a very beautiful 

 bird, conspicuous with his dark glossy-green head, rich salmon- 

 coloured breast, and the upper part of the body and wings black 

 and white. This full plumage is not assumed till the second year, 

 and in the meantime, as well as in the postnuptial dress, he much 

 resembles the female, having, like her, a reddish-brown head, the 

 upper parts greyish-brown, and the lower dull white. In this con- 

 dition the bird is often known as the " Dun Diver." This species 



^ See Gould, Handh. B. Austral, ii. pp. 152-175 ; G. R. Gray, Proc. Zool. 

 Soc. 1861, pp. 292-296 ; "Wallace, Malay Arclii'pdago, i. pp. 415-419 ; ii. pp. 

 147-149 ; Guillemard, Cruise of the ' Marchcsa,' ii. pjx 193-197 with fig. ; Hick- 

 son, Naturalist in North Celebes, pp. 94, 95. 



