Order ANSERES. 



Family ANATID^. 



MERGANSER AMERICANUS (Cassin). (129.) 

 AMERICAN MERGANSER. 



This is the largest species of the true Pish Ducks. They 

 reach the larger lakes somewhat before the disappearance of 

 the ice. A narrow border may have yielded to the advancing 

 sun and invited the fish from under the frozen canopy into its 

 grateful rays, and thus offering the ducks their chosen food 

 in abundance, but if they have counted upon such a repast 

 they are liable to great disappointment, for the retreating 

 cold often returns with a vigor that closes again every opening 

 in the ice of the still waters of the lakes and ponds, when the 

 premature invaders will be compelled to seek their supplies 

 in the swift currents of the streams and rivers. At the time 

 of their spring migrations, they appear in considerable flocks, 

 and no inconsiderable numbers are killed by persons unfamil- 

 liar with their habits, and ignorant of their valuelessness for 

 food, at least such was formerly the case; but since the coun- 

 try has become more extensively occupied by settlement, and 

 been cultivated along the shores of their former haunts, they 

 have disappeared from the more frequented lakes, and are 

 now seldom seen except in the remoter districts. There they 

 still breed in comparatively fair numbers. They place their 

 nests in the forks of dead trees of the forest bordering the 

 water where the banks are low and flat, or upon ledges of 

 rock overhanging the water, in extremely secluded places. 

 The nest consists of grass, leaves, moss, etc., over which are 

 placed their own feathers in sufficient quantity for warmth to 

 be easily maintained while incubation is in process. The eggs 

 are about ten in number, and are of a cream white color, that 

 varies in different eggs of the same nest. In earlier days, 



