io6 GOOSANDER. 



eleven, in number, and of a rich reddish yellow, or 

 brownish fawn-colour. As soon as the females begin 

 to sit, the males quit them for the season. The species 

 appears to -be late in its nidification, scarcely beginning 

 to build before the end of May, or the early part of 

 June. The bird sits very close, and will almost allow 

 herself to be trodden on before she will leave the nest. 



GOOSANDER. 



GREEN-HEADED GOOSANDER. DUN DIVER. 

 PLATE CC. FIGURE III. 



Mergus merganser, PENNANT. MONTAGU. 



Mergus castor, MONTAGU. BEWICK. 



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 



