AMERICAN MERGANSER. 359 



of the season these birds migrate probably to the extremity of 

 the Union, being seen in winter on the Mississippi and Mis- 

 souri, from whence at the approach of spring they migrate 

 north or into the interior to breed. 



The Goosander is seen to frequent the coast only in the 

 depth of winter ; and in its remote resorts in the North it fears 

 the cold much less than the ice, as when that appears, its sup- 

 ply of food is necessarily cut off. The extent of the breeding- 

 range of this species, as of that of many other retiring birds, is 

 yet far from being sufficiently ascertained. Early in the month 

 of May (1832), while descending the Susquehanna near to 

 Dunnstown, a few miles below the gorge of the Alleghanies, 

 through which that river meanders, near the foot of the Bald 

 Eagle Mountain, G. Lyman, Esq., and myself observed near 

 the head of a little bushy island a wild Duck, as we thought, 

 with her brood making off round a point which closed the 

 view. On rowing to the spot the wily parent had still con- 

 tinued her retreat, and we gave chase to the party, which with 

 all the exertions that could be made in rowing still kept at a 

 respectable distance before us. We now perceived that these 

 diminutive possessors of their natal island were a female 

 Goosander, or Dun-Diver, with a small but active little brood 

 of eight young ones. On pushing the chase for near half an 

 hour, the young, becoming somewhat fatigued, drew around 

 their natural protector, who now and then bore them along 

 crowding on her back. At length, stealing nearly from our 

 sight as the chase relaxed, the mother landed at a distance on 

 the gravelly shore, which, being nearly of her own gray color 

 and that of her family, served for some time as a complete con- 

 cealment. When we approached again, however, mother and 

 brood took to the water, and after a second attempt, in which 

 the young strove to escape by repeated divings, we succeeded 

 in cutting off the retreat of one of the family, which was at 

 length taken from behind a flat boat under which it had finally 

 retreated to hide. We now examined the little stranger, and 

 found it to be a young Merganser of this species not bigger 

 than the egg of a Goose, and yet already a most elegant 



