68 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS EGGS. 



The American Mergansers, 

 Goosanders, or Sheldrakes, 

 as they are often ^called, are 

 found both on the coast and 

 in the interior. Except in 

 certain mountainous regions, 

 they breed chiefly north of 

 the United States. The male 

 bird has no crest and the 

 head is a beautiful green, 

 while the female has a red- 

 dish brown crest and head, 

 shading to white on the chin. 

 They build their nest in hol- 

 low trees near the water. 

 It is made of grasses, leaves 

 and moss and is lined with 

 feathers from the breast of the Creamy buff.] 



female During May, they lay from six to ten eggs of a creamy or buff color. 



Size 2./0 x 1.7o. Data.-Gun Is Lake Winnipeg, June 16, 1903. Eleven eggs 



Raine "' ated between two lar gt boulders. Collector, Walter 



I 30. Red-breasted Merganser. Merganser serrator. 

 Range. North America, breeding from northern United States northward. 



This species is more abund- 

 ant than the preceding. It 

 is slightly smaller, being 22 

 inches in length, and the 

 male is crested. Found 

 abundantly in the United 

 States in winter. Breeds, 

 commonly in the interior of 

 British America and in 

 Labrador and Newfoundland. 

 They make their nests on the 

 ground, near the water, con- 

 cealing them under rocks or 

 tufts of grass. The nest is 

 made of grasses, leaves and 

 moss and lined with feathers. 

 They lay, generally, about 

 [Clear buff.] ten eggs of a buffy or greenish 



Data.-Lake Manitoba, N. W. Canada. Two eggs^a holTow Hne'd wfth dow* 

 under a patch of rose bushes near shore. Collector] Jos Hamaugh 



131. Hooded Merganser. Lophodytes 

 cucullatus. 



Range. North America, breeding 

 locally throughout its range, in the 

 interior. These are beautiful little 

 Ducks distinguished from all others 

 by the semi-circular, compressed crest 

 which is black with an enclosed white 

 area. They make their nests in hol- 

 low trees, in wooded districts near the 

 water, lining the cavity with grasses 

 and down. They lay ten or twelve 

 grayish white eggs. Size 2.15 x 1.70. 



[Grayish white.] 



