HOODED MERGANSER 415 



belongs, the Goosander's being placed near the 

 middle of the bill and that of the present species 

 being placed near the base. 



The length of this species is from twenty- 

 two to twenty-four inches; its extent from 

 thirty-three to thirty-five inches. Weight from 

 two to two and one-half pounds. 



Most of the Shelldrakes nest well beyond our 

 borders, but breeding birds of this species are 

 not uncommon in Maine. It is found also in 

 northern Europe and Asia. 



HOODED MERGANSER. 



(Lophodytes cucullatus.) 



The smallest and most strikingly marked 

 species of the family which we have in North 

 America is our beautiful little Hooded Mergan- 

 ser. In New England this is the least common 

 of our Shelldrakes, and this species is found 

 only in North America. 



In many localities of the south and west this 

 bird is called the ''Wood Duck." Indeed it 

 deserves the title nearly as well as does the 

 bird which we have so named in New England, 

 having the same habit of nesting in the hollows 



