125. THE RED-BREASTED 

 MERGANSER. 



Merganser serrator, (Linnaeus). 



Outer web of the primaries blackish ; 

 inner web drab, with a blackish tip. 



Axillaries and under tail-coverts pure 

 white. 



Margins of the bill furnished with saw- 

 like teeth. 



With one or with two black bands 

 across the white of the folded wing. 



MALE : — Head black, sharply defined 

 from the white neck; two black bands 

 across the white of the wing ; sides of 

 the body vermiculated with black. 



FEMALE :— Head and neck more or less 

 rufous, not sharply defined from the 

 body-plumage ; one black band across 

 the white of the wing; sides of the body 

 brown, margined with grey. 



Vernacular Names :— None known. 



There are only two properly authenticated 



instances known of the occurrence of the 



Red-breasted Merganser within the limits 



402 



