MERGUS. 



309 



bi'ownisli cliestnnt ; chiu white; throat albescent; breast and entire 

 lower parts white or pinkish white in life, only at the base of the 

 throat and crop the grey brown bases of the feathers show throngh 

 to a certain extent like hidden bars ; interscapulary region, mantle^ 

 lower back, rnmp and upper tail-coverts brown, most of the feathers 

 with paler margins ; quills dusky black; secondaries and their greater 

 coverts black, all, but the first three, broadly tipped with white; ter- 

 tiaries blackish dusky, paUng anteriorly, whitish towards the tip, the 

 innermost mostly white, with a black outer margin ; tail like the back. 



Both sexes from the above description resemble the Goosander, but 

 may be distinguished by their small size, and in proportion to their 

 length much thinner bills. — [Hume, Str. F. ix. p, 268). 



In the male the bill varies from orange red to deep vermilion, is more 

 or less dusky on the edge, and has the nail varying from pale yellowish 

 grey to almost black. In young females there is more dusky on the 

 upper mandible, where the red is often only a lateral band. 



Length. — IFaJes, 24*0 to 26-0 inches, expanse 29-0 to 32-5, wing 9-0 

 to 10-0, tail from insertion of feathers S'l to 4*2, tarsus 1-8 to 2*05, 

 bill at front along culmen 2-4 to 2*5. 



Length.— Females, 22-0 to 23-5, expanse 28'0to31'0, wing 8-5 to 9-3, 

 tail 2-7 to 3-6, tarsus 1-66 to 1-83, bill at front 2-1 to 2-3.— Str. F. ix. 

 268. 



In a second specimen (the first obtained by Capt. Bishop at Manora, 

 and sent by me to Air. Hume) now in the Kurrachee Museum — male, the 

 •bill at front is exactly 2-0 inches, tarsus 1*6, wing 8-37, tail 37, length 

 23*2, agreeing exactly with Mr. Hume's description as given above. 



Hah. — Sind. Mr. Hume says there is no other instances of its occur- 

 ence in India. China, Mongolia, S. and S. E. Siberia, Palestine and 

 throughout Earope ; Scotland, Shetland, Sweden and Norway are 

 given as localities outside of India. 



Mergus castor. The Goosander. 



Mergus castor.— The Goosander. 

 This species, although not yet reported from Sind, will no doubt be 

 It is said to occur in the Punjab, N. W. Provinces and 



found to occur. 



