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FAMILY MERGINiE. 

 MERGANSERS. 



GEMUS MERGUS — LINN. 



MERGANSERS. 



[Bill straight, higher than broad at base ; much smaller towai'd the end ; 

 upper mandible hooked ; teeth shai-p ; head rather large, compressed ; body 

 rather long depressed ; plumage very thick ; feet placed far behind ; wings 

 moderate, acute ; tail short, rounded. 



MERGUS MERGANSER— LINN. 



BUFF-BREASTED MERGANSER, OR GOOSANDER. 



Mergus Merganser, Wilson. 



Mergus Merganser, Bonap. 



Mergus Merganser, Goosander, Sw. & Rich. 



Goosander, Mergus Merganser, Nuttall. 



Goosander, Mergus Merganser, Audubon. 



Specific Character — Forehead low ; head rounded, crested ; bill 

 bright red, the ridge black, high at base ; upper mandible much 

 hoolved. Adult male with the head and upper part of the neck 

 greenish-black; lower portion of the neck white ; under plumage 

 light buff, delicately tinged with rose color, which fades after death; 

 sides of the rump grayish-white, marked witli undulating lines of 

 dusky; fore part of the back and inner scapulars glossy black ; 

 hind part of the back ash-gray ; the feathers margined and tipped 

 with grayish-white, lighter on the rump ; upper tail-coverts gray, 

 the feathers marked with central streaks of dusky ; tail-feathers 

 darker ; primaries dark brown ; wing coverts and secondaries 

 white, the outer webs of the latter edged with black ; the basal 

 part of tiic greater coverts black, forming a conspicuous band on 

 tlie wings ; under tail-coverts white ; outer webs marked with 

 dusk3^-gray, wiiich is the color of the greater part of the web ; bill 

 and feet bright red. Female, with the head and upper part of the 

 neck reddish-brown ; throat and lower neck in front white ; breast 

 and abdomen deeply tinged with buff; upper parts and sides of the 



