MERGANSER SERRATOR 329 



white ; a dark eye-streak like the lores ; chin and throat rufescent-white : 

 remainder of head and neck dull-rufous : upper parts ashy-brown, most of 

 the feathers edged paler ; lower parts whits : flanks mottled brown and 

 white ; primaries and innermost secondaries dark-brown ; outer secondaries 

 and their coverts white, the latter with brown bases ; remainder of wing- 

 coverts ashy-brown : under wing-coverts grey and white. 



Colours of soft parts. — " In the young and females there is more dusky 

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

 feet are duller-coloured than in the adult male." 



Measurements. — " Length 22'0 to 23'u inches, expanse 28'0 to31'0, wing 

 S") to 9'3, tail from insertion of feathers 2'7 to .'Vfi, tarsus I'fiS to r83, bill 

 as above 2'1 to 2 '3." (Hi/ me.) 



Adult Male in Summer. — " In tiie plumage that the male of this species 

 assumes for a short time during the summer it resembles the female, but is 

 distinguishable by it larger size, the different colour of tlie abdomen and 

 of the scapulars." {Dresser.) 



" Young' Male closely resembles tlie female, especially when the latter 

 is in fresh plumage with a greyish tinge, but can usually be distinguished 

 by its larger size and shorter crest." (Dresser:) 



" Males in first nuptial dress have the lower back brown, and tho 

 white round the neck streaked with brown." (Snivadori.) 



"Young in Down are dark brown on the upper parts, shading into 

 reddish brown on the head, and into chestnut on the sides of the neck; 

 a white patch on each wing, one on each side of the upper back, and one 

 on each side of the rump ; under parts pure white, and lores wliite, 

 margined above and below with dark brown." (Seeholim.) 



Distribution. — The Red-breasted Merganser is found practically 

 throughout the Northern Hemisphere, breeding to the north, and 

 extending south to the Mediterranean basin, through Central Asia to 

 Persia, Northern India, China and Japan, and in America to the 

 United States. 



On the whole, it is a more northern bird than the goosander, 

 and is circumpolar, whereas the latter is an eastern or old-world 

 form. 



In India there is no doubt that it occurs only as the most rare 

 of stragglers. 



The first specimen quoted as being an Indian one, and which 

 was the only one known to Hume at the time ' Game-Birds ' was 

 written, was erroneously so recorded. Blanford corrects this mis- 

 take ; he says : — 



