BIRDS OF THE WEST 107 



167. RUDDY DUCK. Erismatura jamaicensis. Fifteen inches 

 long. Top of head black and cheeks white. Brown above. Gray 

 below. Bill blue and short. Mostly chestnut colored above. A good 

 diver. Often carries tail erect on the water. 



151. GOLDEN-EYE. Clangula clangula americana. Head dark 

 green with a white spot at base of bill, white neck and breast. Black 

 above. More or less white on wing. Female with much brown above. 

 Sometimes called "whistlers". 



MERGANSERS OR FISH DUCKS. 



129. AMERICAN MERGANSER. Merganser Americanus. Over two 

 feet long. Called "fish-duck" because of diet and "saw-bill" because 

 of tooth-like projections from the sides of its narrow bill. Black and 

 white above and white below. Head black with greenish reflections 

 and crested. Bill red. Loves cold water. 



130. RED-BREASTED MERGANSER. Merganser serrator. Near- 

 ly two feet long. Black head crested, and having greenish reflections. 

 Black back, white neck, white on wings. Body gray, brown and 

 buff. Nearly white below. Bill not flat like a duck's but narrow and 

 edged with tooth-like projections. The flesh of this duck is generally 

 highly flavored with its fishy food. 



131. HOODED MERGANSER. Lophodytes cucullatus. Seven- 

 teen inches long. Conspicuous black and white crest. Black and 

 brown above, sides brown, white below. White speculum. Saw-billed. 

 Too pretty a bird to shoot and not a good table duck. 



GEESE. 



172. CANADA GOOSE. Branta Canadensis.. Three feet long. 

 Black head and neck and some white on the sides of the head. Gray 

 body. 



169. LESSER SNOW GOOSE or WHITE BRANT. About two 

 feet long. Plumage white with tips of wings black. 



169a. GREATER SNOW GOOSE or WHITE BRANT. Chen 

 hyperborea nivalis. About three feet long. They are white with tips 

 of wings black. 



SWANS. 



181. TRUMPETER SWAN. Olor buccinator. Five and a half 

 feet long. All white with black feet and bill. Very long neck. Named 

 from its bugle-like note. 



180. WHISTLING SWAN. Olor Golumbianus. Four and a half 

 feet long. White with black feet and bill and a yellow spot in front 

 of the eyes. 



