718 SYSTEMATIC SYNOPSIS.— STEGANOPODES. 
throat and under parts white, shaded with ee along the sides. Upper parts plumbeous- 
gray, the feathers with paler edges; white of wing restricted to a patch formed by the ends 
of the greater coverts, and much of the outer secondaries ; not divided by a black bar. No 
peculiar feathers in front of wing. Length about 24.00 ; extent 34.00; wing 8.50-9.50; tail 
4.00; tarsus 1.60; middle toe and claw 2.60; bill 2.20 on culmen, 2.60 on gape. Young 
gf like 9. Nestlings in down curiously patched. N. Am. at large, more numerous than 
the goosander. U. 8. abundantly in winter, and breeding in many places as well as farther 
north. Also European, ete. Nest on ground, down-lined; eggs 8-10, elliptical, buff, 2.50 
aero 
745. M. (L.) cuculla/tus. (Lat. cwcullatus, wearing a hood). Hooprp MeErGANsrER. Bill 
shorter than head. Nostrils in its basal half. Frontal feathers extending far beyond those on 
side of bill, these beyond 
those on lower mandi- 
ble. A magnificent erect 
crest, compressed, semi- 
circular in outline, in 
both sexes, but in 9? 
smaller, and less strict. 
Adult ¢: Bill black; 
eyes yellow; feet light 
brown, with dusky claws. 
Head, neck, and upper 
parts black, changing to 
Fie. 500. — Bill of Red-breasted Merganser, nat. size. (Ad nat. del. E. C.) 
brown on lower back ; 
crest elegantly centred with snowy white; lower fore-neck and under parts white, the sides 
regularly and finely waved with brownish-red and black; crissum waved with dusky. Lining 
of wings and axillars white. Enlarged white doubly black-barred feathers in front of wing. 
A white speculum, with two black bars, the white being on outer webs of secondaries and ends 
of these and greater coverts; inner secondaries with white central stripe. Young ¢ like Q. 
?: Bill dusky, with orange base below. Head and neck grayish-chestuut, darker brown on 
crown, the throat and under parts whitish; back and sides dusky-brown, the latter not undu- 
lated, the feathers generally with paler edges. No black and white bars before wing; white 
of wing restricted or impure. Length 16.50-18.00; extent about 25.00; wing 7.00-8.00; 
tail 4.00; tarsus 1.20; middle toe and claw 2.25; bill 1.50 along culmen, 2.00 along gape. 
N. Am. at large; common; breeds at Jarge in U.S., as well as farther north; winters in 
U.S. Europe, ete. This beautiful species appears to usually if not always nest in trees, like 
the wood duck and some others, the young being transported to the water in the beak of the 
mother. Eggs 6-8, 1.75 «1.35, elliptical, buff-colored. 
XI. Order STEGANOPODES: Totipalmate Birds. 
Feet totipalmate, with three full webs (as in fig. 52, for example) ; hind toe semi-lateral, 
larger and lower down than in other water birds, connected with the inner toe by a complete web 
reaching from tip to tip. Nostrils minute, rudimentary, or entirely abortive. A gular pouch. 
Bill not membranous nor lamellate ; tomia sometimes serrate ; usually, a long suleus on upper 
mandible reaching alongside the culmen nearly to tip of bill, which is commonly hooked with 
a more or less distinct nail; mouth much cleft. 
This is a definite and verfeetly natural group, which will be immediately recognized by 
the foregoing characters, one of which, the complete webbing of the hallux, is not elsewhere 
