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This beautful species is again improperly termed " Shell Drake." 

 I will here remark that the Shell or " Shield-rake"' does not inhabit 

 this continent. The Hooded Merganser, " Water Pheasant," or 

 " Hairy-head," as it is sometimes called, is rather rare in this vi- 

 cinity. In South Carolina it is more abundant, and is frequently 

 seen on the Ohio and iMississippi rivers. It breeds at the North, and 

 is said to lay four white eggs. It may be readily distinguished by 

 its beautiful black and white crest, which gives a proud appearance 

 to this prettily marked bird. It is an active diver, and subsists by 

 fishing". 



MERGUS SERRATOR— LINN. 



RED-BREASTED MERGANSER. 



Red-breasted Merganser, Mergus Serrator, Wilson. 

 Mergus Serrator, Bonaj). 



Mergus Serrator, Red-breasted Merganser, Sw. & Rich. 

 Red-breasted Merganser, Mergus Serrator, Aud. 



Specific Character — Forehead high, the upper and hind part of 

 the head furnished with rather long, loose, hairy feathers ; bill 

 bright red, the ridge dusky ; the lower mandible rounded. The 

 bill is shorter and narrower than that of the preceding S[)ecies — it 

 is also lower at the base, and the naked space between the nostrils 

 and the frontlet feathers is less extensive. Adult male with the 

 sides of the head and the upper part of the neck greenish-black; 

 head crested; on the middle of the neck a broad band of white; 

 lower neck reddish brown, the feathers margined with darker 

 brown, which gives it a mottled appearance ; breast and abdomen 

 white ; flanks and sides of the rump marked with undulating lines 

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

 of the back ash gray, marked with white and dusky ; tail grayish 

 brown, margined and tipped with paler brown ; outer scapulars 

 white ; secondaries black at the base, white toward the tips ; their 

 coverts the same ; a few white feathers margined and tipped with 

 black before the wings ; feet light red ; primaries brownish-black ; 

 inner secondaiies margined on the outer webs with black. Length 

 twenty-four inches, wing nine and a half Female smaller ; crest 



