a HE HOODED MERGANSER. 
ing the brood by cutting out four of the laggards; and these the mother bird 
appeared to resign as she urged the others out into the open water. But the 
little quartette were brave, for they sighted the first loophole of opportunity 
and raced past me single-file, like little sizzling meteors. The mother and 
brothers awaited their approach in trembling anxiety, and the reunited family 
set off at a terrific pace without allowing the little adventurers an instant’s 
rest. But here ‘the bird-man quite desisted. Generous? Oh, no; just 
dog-tired. 
We are accustomed to regard trout as symbols of strength and agility, but 
so successful is this bird in pursuing its finny prey in their native torrents that 
it gets itself cordially hated by the angler as well as admired by the orni- 
thologist. A wise Merganser learns to know its friends, and in the presence 
of the other sort manages to reconnoiter with only the bill and the top of the 
head thrust out of water. This ruse is invariably adopted by a wounded bird 
in making its escape. 
This bird is reported as nesting near the ocean, but all we have seen have 
been in the vicinity of fresh water. Eggs are laid in scantily constructed nests, 
under drift-wood, logs or rocks, and always near water. The male deserts his 
mate as soon as the eggs are laid, and lives a life of lonely and selfish, albeit 
adventurous, ease. In winter the birds are found upon salt water in con- 
siderable numbers; and from the fact that flocks of six or eight are about the 
average, we judge that family groups remain clustered about their mother 
until early spring. 
No. 306. 
HOODED MERGANSER. 
“, 
A. O. U. No. 131. Lophodytes cucullatus (Linn.). 
Description.—Adult male: Head with a large compressed semi-circular 
crest; sides of crest white in large sector, or open-fan-shaped patch; the edge 
black in a sharply defined border; fore-crown deep brown; remainder of head 
and neck all around, upperparts, and two transverse crescentic bars on each side 
invading white of breast, deep brownish black (coal black on lower scapulars) ; 
lesser and middle wing-coverts ashy gray; speculum and tips of greater coverts 
white ; two small transverse black bars formed by exposed bases of greater coverts 
and of secondaries; inner secondaries and tertials white, heavily bordered with 
black ; sides pale to rich cinnamon-rufous, wavy-barred with dusky; bill compara- 
tively short, narrow, black; nostril barely within basal third (measured from 
anterior margin of loral feathering); feet light brown; eyes yellow. Adult 
female: Head, neck, fore-breast, sides of breast and sides dull grayish brown; 
the crest much thinner than in male, entirely cinnamon-brown; upperparts deep 
