AN'ATIDi — THE SWANS, GEESE, AND DUCKS. 191 



The ffenus Lophodytes is quite distinct from Merganser in the 

 possession of the above characters. The bill is also much more 

 depressed terminally, and, in proportion to its leno-th, deeper 

 through the base. The nostrils are situated far back, as in 

 M. serrator. But one species is known, unless the Jfergus octo- 

 setacem of Vieillot, a South American bird, which we have not 

 seen, be referable to this genus rather than to ^Fergus. 



Lopliodytes cucuUatus (Linn.) 



HOODED MEBGANSEB. 



Popular Bj^onyms. Hooded Sheldrake; Fan-crest: Round-crest: Pi-kaxo Sheldrake; 

 Wood Sheldrake; Wood Duck; Swamp Sholdrak'!; Pond Sheldrake; Cock Robin 

 Duck; Hairy-head; Snowl (Maryl.indl; Moss head; Tow-head; Tadpole, etc., etc. 

 Mergus C'ictdlatus Link. 8. N. ed, 10, i. 1758. 129; ed. 12, i, 17C6, 207— Wiis. Am. Orn. 

 viii I8H, pi. Ixix. lig, 1.— 8w. & Rich. F. B.-A. ii,lS31,4ii3.— Nutt. Man. ii. I831.4ti5 

 — AuD. Orn. Biog. iil, isa5, 210, pi. 233; Ssnop. 18.)9, 2i9; B. Am. vi, 184.3, 402, 

 pi. 413.— CouES. Key, 1872, 290; Check List, 1873. No. 523; 2d ed. 1882, No. 745; B. N. 

 W. 1874, 581.— Hensh. Zool. Wheeler's Exp. 1875, 484. 

 Lophodytes cucuUalus Reichenb. Syst. Av. 1852, p. Ix.— Baibd, B. N. Am. 1858, 810; 

 Cat. N. Am. B. 1859, No. CIS.— RiDow. Orn. 40th Par. 1877. 027; Nom. N. Am. B. 

 1881, No. 638; Man. N. Am. B. 1887. 89.-B. B. & R. Water B. N. Am. ii, 1884, 121.— 

 A. O. U. Check List, 1886, No. 131. 

 Hab. All of North America, south to Mexico and Cuba, north to Alaska, and acci- 

 dentally to Greenland; breeds nearly throughout its range; Bermudas in autumn; casual 

 In Europe. 



8p. Char. Adult male: Head, neck, back, and scapulnrs black: crest chiefly pure 

 white, but bordered by a distinct "rim" of black : forehead, and feathers round base of the 

 bill, dark fulisrinous, but this blending Insensibly into the deep black. Wing-coverts dark 

 gray, lighter and more ashy posteriorly: greater coverts broadly tipped with white, the base 

 black, this exposed sufllciently to show a distinct band; inner secondaries with th ir ex- 

 posed surface (in closed wingl white, the basal portion black, showing narrowly biyond the 

 end of the greater coverts ; tertlals with a central stripe of white. Primaries, primary cov- 

 erts, rump, upper tail-coverts, and tail brownish dusky. Sides of the breast cro-sed by two 

 black crescents, projecting from the black of the back, these interdigitating with two white 

 ones, the la.st crescent being black. Sides and flanks rusty cinnamon (more giayish ante- 

 riorly), narrowly undulated with black; romainingjowor parts white, the posterior part of 

 the crlssura mottled with grayish brown. Bill deep black: Iris bright yellow; legs and feet 

 yellowish brown, the claws dusky. Adult female: Head, neck, chest, and upper parts 

 generally, grayish brown, darker above, the crest reddish hair-brown, or dull cinnamon, 

 smaller and of looser texture than in the male; chin, upper part of the throat, and lower 

 parts, except sides, and posterior part of the crisaum, white; middle feathers of the 

 greater wing-coverts tipped with white; innormo.st secondaries with their exi oscd 

 surface white, except at the base. Maxilla black, edged with orange: mandible 

 orang>': iris hazel; feet dusky. Yottng: Similar to the adult female, but crest ru- 

 dimentary, or wanting, the sides and posterior part of the crissum more distinctly 

 bcowD. Downjj youno: Above, deep hair- brown, darkest on the back and rump; 



