100 



GOOSANDER. 



GREEN-HEADED GOOSANDER. DUN DIVER. 



PLATE CO. PIG. II. 



Mergus merganser, PENNANT. MONTAGU. 



Mergus castor, MONTAGU. BEWICK. 



THE Goosander builds on small islands in fresh-water lochs in the 

 neighbourhood of the sea, and near the water's edge. 



The nest, which is placed under the cover of bushes, in long grass, 

 among stones, or in the hollow of the stump of a decayed tree, is large 

 altogether, being raised to a height of seven or eight inches, on a mass 

 of dead weeds, but the inner and more finished part is only about seven 

 inches and a half across, and four in depth. It is composed of dry 

 grass and small roots, rather neatly twined together, and lined with 

 the down of the bird. 



The eggs, of a long oval shape, are from four to six, seven or eight, 

 and, Yarrell says, ten or fourteen, in number, or more, though rarely; 

 if removed from the nest, as many as thirty have been successively 

 laid: their colour a uniform buff white or cream yellow. The figure on 

 the plate is from a pale green variety. 



The female has been seen to carry her young on her back, in the 

 same way as described of the Swan. She leads them to the water as 

 soon as they are hatched, or carries them thither in her bill if the nest 

 has been in the hollow of a tree, and at once commences their education. 



The males appear to leave the females when the latter have begun 

 to sit, and do not rejoin them till the summer is over: while absent 

 they are only accompanied by one or two females, if any. 



