MERGANSER MERGANSER ORIEXTALIS 317 



(47) MERGANSER MERGANSER ORIENTALIS. 

 THE EASTERN GOOSANDER. 



Mergus orientalis, dould, P. Z. S. 1845, p. 1 (Amoy). 



Mergus merganser, Hnuw, Cat. No. 972 ; Seidh/, S. F. viii,p. 364 ; Hume 



if Mavfih. (iamc-B. iii, p. 299 : Hittnc tf Crippii, ibid. xi,p. 347 ; AMcn, 



J. B. X. H. S. ii, p. .56. 



Mergus castor, Jerfhn, B. of I. iii, p. 817 ; Hiimf. S. F. i, p. 423 ; Parkei; 

 ihul. ii, p. 336 ; Ball, ibid. p. 439 ; Hume, ihld. vii, p. 149 ; Ball, 

 ibid. p. 233, 



Merganser castor, Blanford, Avifauna B. I. iv, p. 469 : Oaten, Game-B. 



ii, p, 123 ; .Stuart Baker, J. B. N. H. S. xiii, p. 207 (1900) ; id. 



Indian Dnck.'i. p. 271 (1908) ; Imili.'i, J. B. X. H. S. xiv, p. 393 ; 



}'\liitehead, J. Ii. X. H. S. xx, p. 980 (1911); ( liidlestmir. ibid, xxi, 



p. 275 (1911) : Tncilis, ibid, xxiv, p. 600 (1916), 

 Merganser merganser, Oate.-i, Game-B. ii, p. 390, 

 Merganser comatus, Salradon, Cat. B. M. xxvii, p. 47.V 



Description. Adult Male.— Whole head, upper neck, and crest black- 

 glossed with metallic-greeu, showing purple in sunlight, the centre of chin 

 and throat unglossed; lower neck and under parts white: upper back glossy 

 black ; lower back, rump, and upper tail-coverts grey, more or less vermicu- 

 lated with white on the outer feathers, and the tail-coverts also with dark 

 shafts and sometimes with paler edges ; tail silvery-brown, paler and more 

 grey on the lower surface ; primaries and outer secondaries very dark 

 )irown ; inner secondaries wliite, with a narrow edging of black on the 

 outer webs ; large secondary-coverts white witli black bases ; primary- 

 coverts and edge of wing black ; remaining coverts white ; outer scapulars 

 white, with narrow l:)lack margins ; the inner all black : one or two next 

 the white ones tipped with white or with narrow, irregular white edgings. 



Colours of soft parts. — " The bill is, according to age, a brighter or 

 duller, lighter or deeper red, almost vermilion in some, cinnabar or deep 

 blood-red in others. The nail and broader or narrower stripe along the 

 culmen, from the nail to the forehead, brownish-black, dusky or lilack. In 

 some this stripe is only indicated. There is often more or less of dusky on 

 the lower mandible, which, in some, is entirely of this colour, but in others 

 almost orange. 



" The irides, brown in the young, grow redder with age, and in old males 

 become a deep red, with scarcely a tinge of brown. 



