440 APPENDIX. 



dark brown ; secondaries lighter brown, their coverts 

 black ; a semicircular band of black on the fore part 

 of the back ; the outer two tail feathers white the 

 rest marked with brown, excepting the four acu- 

 minated feathers, which are blackish-brown, the 

 middle pair extending several inches beyond the 

 others. Female without the long scapulars or elon- 

 gated tail feathers ; bill dusky-green ; head dark, 

 greyish-brown a patch of greyish-white on the 

 sides of the neck ; crown blackish ; upper parts dark 

 greyish-brown ; lower parts white. Length of male 

 from the point of the bill to the end of the elongated 

 tail feathers twenty-three inches; wing eight inches 

 and five-eighths. Female about six inches less in 

 length. 



This bird is abundant along the coast, but is 

 generally tough and fishy. 



MERGANSER. 



Genus Mergus, Linn. 



Generic Distinctions. Bill straight, higher than 

 broad at base ; much smaller towards the end ; upper 

 mandible hooked; teeth sharp; head rather large, 

 compressed ; body rather long, depressed ; plumage 

 very thick ; feet placed far behind ; wings moderate, 

 acute ; tail short, rounded. 



