240 REPTILES AND BIRDS. 



eastern coast of America as far south as the mouth of the Mississippi. 

 In Labrador he found a female on its nest in a marsh; the nest 

 was snugly placed amidst the tall blades of a bunch of grass, and 

 was raised fully four inches above the roots. It was composed of 

 withered and rotten weeds, the former being circularly arranged over 

 the latter, producing a well-rounded cavity, six inches in diameter and 

 two and a half deep ; the border of the inner cup being lined with 

 down from the birds, after the manner of the Eider Duck. In it lay 

 five eggs, the smallest he had ever seen in a duck's nest. They are 

 equally rounded at both ends, about two inches and a half long, 

 and an inch and five-eighths in their greatest breadth ; the shell 

 perfectly smooth, and of a uniform yellow colour. 



The plumage of the bird is soft, dense, and glossy ; the feathers 

 of the head and neck blended and velvety ; the wings short, narrow, 

 and pointed ; the upper mandible orange red, the protuberance on 

 each side yellowish grey ; at the base is a large square patch of 

 black, margined with orange red, with a patch of greyish white in 

 front. 



Intimately allied to the Ducks in many respects, and to the Divers 

 and Cormorants in others, are the Goosander, a very distinct family, 

 characterised by a large, elongated, and depressed body; long and 

 slender neck ; oblong, compressed head, narrowing anteriorly ; bill 

 straight, narrow, and slender, sub-cylindrical outwards, wide at the 

 base, and abruptly hooked at the tip ; margins of both mandibles 

 serrated ; the teeth directed backwards. 



THE GOOSANDER (Mergus castor). 



The Goosander is sometimes separated from the Ducks. Prince 

 Charles Bonaparte includes in it two sub-genera, the Smew 

 (Mergus) and the Merganser of Leach, for by this name also this bird 

 is known. It is distinguished by its slender and almost cylindrical 

 bill, armed on the edge with points turning backwards, somewhat 

 resembling the teeth of a saw; yet, in its general appearance, 

 plumage, and habits, this bird bears much resemblance to the 

 Ducks. 



The Goosanders rarely come on land ; they are exclusively aquatic, 

 and frequent rivers, lakes, and pools, preferring them to estuaries ; 

 but they may be seen in summer fishing in the sea-lochs of Scotland. 

 The Romans gave them the name of Mergus in consequence of 

 their habit of swimming with the body submerged the head only 

 appearing above the surface of the water. 



