174 STELLER'S WESTERN DUCK. 



and the Prince of Canino gives to it the northern 

 coast of America ; but even there it must be ex- 

 tremely rare, for Audubon writes, u so very scarce 

 indeed is it, that all my exertions to obtain a speci- 

 men have failed," and he figures the bird from the 

 Norwich specimen alluded to ; it is said to breed 

 like the Eiders. 



Succeeding the extensive series of birds we have 

 now had under review, has been placed another 

 group, duck-like in form,but at the same timehaving, 

 while in the water, the appearance and almost the 

 aquatic activity of the divers ; the Goosanders, or 

 genus Mergm, Linn, is much more aquatic in habits 

 than even the Fuligulinse, and are in fact seldom 

 een except swimming or during flight, the short 

 period devoted to incubation being almost the only 

 necessary exception; when swimming, they sink deep 

 into the water, but move rapidly and gracefully, 

 and dive with great facility ; the food is chiefly fish, 

 caught by diving, and held securely by the serrated 

 structure or modification of the lamellae of the bill, 

 which member becomes also more elongated and 

 narrower than among the ducks ; the feet are placed 

 far behind or beyond the centre of gravity. The 

 males are unlike the females in plumage, having 

 the colours very marked and contrasted ; these are 

 in their greatest beauty during the commencement 

 of incubation, but as this advances, a change takes 

 place, and the dress becomes unobtrusive and more 

 like that of the other sex. The number of species 



