

THE GOOSANDER. 259 



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 Mergansers, a very dis- 

 tinct family, characterised by a large, elongated, and depressed 

 body ; long and slender neck ; oblong, compressed head, narrow- 

 ing 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. 



ENGLISH SYNONYMS. Goosander: Montagu, Selby, Jenyns.* Dun 

 Diver : Montagu. Buff-breasted Goosander : McGillivray. Greater 

 Goosander, Saw-bill, Jacksaw. 



LATHS' SYNONYMS. Mergus merganser: Linn., Latham, Temminck, Selby, 

 Jenyns. Mergus castor : Linn., Latham. Merganser castor: Bonaparte, 

 McGillivray. 



FKENCH SYNONYMS. Bieune of the old French. Grand Harle : Temminck. 



The Merganser (Mergus, from mergere, to submerge) is some- 

 times separated from the Ducks. Prince Charles Bonaparte 

 includes in it two sub-genera, the Smew (Mergus) and the Mer- 

 ganser of Leach. The Merganser is distinguished by its slender 

 and almost cylindrical bill, armed on the edges 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 Mergansers very 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 Latins gave them the name of Mergus in con- 

 sequence of their habit of swimming with the body submerged 

 the head only appearing above the surface of the water. 



These birds feed on fish, of which they destroy an immense 

 number. They also commit serious depredations on the spawning 

 beds. They are able to accumulate a large quantity of air in 

 the trachea, and can therefore remain some time under water 

 without breathing. They take advantage of this for diving to the 



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