GOOSANDER. 491 



such an excavation as she can conveniently enter. The 

 person that waylays the hird for her eggs, places against a 

 fir or pine tree, somewhere near the bank of the river, a 

 decayed trunk with a hole in its middle ; the bird enters 

 and lays her eggs in it ; presently the peasant comes, and 

 takes away the eggs, leaving, however, one or two. The 

 bird returns, and, finding but a single egg, lays two or three 

 more ; she is again robbed as before — but a few are left at 

 last for the increase of her family. As soon as the eggs are 

 hatched, the mother takes the chicks gently in her bill, 

 carries and lays them down at the foot of the tree, where 

 she teaches them the way to the river, in which they in- 

 stantly swim with an astonishing facility." 



In Finland and the northern provinces of Russia this 

 species is common throughout the summer, and its breeding 

 range appears to extend to the Ural and the Central Volga 

 districts. Its nest has been taken in Northern Germany ; 

 and in Denmark, according to Mr. Benzon, it breeds spar- 

 ingly, in hollow trees, in all the provinces where the forest 

 is close to the water. In winter it is found on the coasts 

 and inland waters of the Continent so long as they remain 

 unfrozen ; its migrations extending to the south of Spain, 

 and to North-west Africa. It is, however, rare in the 

 Mediterranean, although not uncommon in the Bosphorus 

 and the Black Sea. Eastward it is found across Siberia 

 and Central Asia, visiting Japan and China in winter. It 

 is known to breed on the elevated lakes of the great Asian 

 ranges of mountains up to 10,000 feet, and Mr. Hume 

 thinks it probable that in the treeless districts of the 

 Himalayas — where the young, from nestlings to nearly fully 

 fledged birds, have been taken — this species avails itself of 

 holes in the rocks near the water for its nests, after the 

 manner of the Ruddy Sheld-duck. In winter its range 

 southward extends to about 22° N. lat. 



In North America is found a sub-species, Mergus merganser 

 americanus, adult males of which have the black at the 

 base of the greater wing-coverts exposed, so as to form a 

 very distinct band about half way across the wing, while 



