DUCKS, GEESE, AND SWANS 



47 



Remarks. The female is distinguished from the female americanus by 

 smaller size, slenderer bill, and position of nostril. 



Distribution. Northern part of northern hemisphere, breeding in Amer- 

 ica from Illinois and Minnesota north to Alaska and Greenland ; south in 

 winter over the United States. 



Nest. On ground near water, hidden in grass and weeds, made of leaves, 

 grass, and moss, lined with down. Eggs : 8 to 10, olive buff. 



The red-breasted merganser is a common duck of the clear streams 

 and lakes, a good diver and fisher, but rarely fat and often flavored 

 by its favorite food. 



GENUS LOPHODYTES. 

 131. Lophodytes CUCUllatus (Linn.). HOODED MERGANSER. 



Bill narrow, slender, and with terminal part cylindrical, armed along 

 edges of mandibles with 

 blunt, scarcely inclined 

 teeth ; head with high 

 thin, wheel-shaped crest, 

 less prominent in female. 



Adult male. Head, 

 neck, and back black ; 

 middle of crest and under 

 parts, white ; sides light 

 brown, finely cross-lined 

 with black. Adult female : 

 upper parts grayish brown, 

 browner on crest; patch 

 on wing, throat, and belly 

 white. Young : similar to 

 female, but with little or 

 no crest. Length: 17.25- 

 19.25, wing 7.50-7.90, bill 

 1.50. 



Distribution. North 

 America from Alaska to 

 Cuba and Mexico, breed- 

 ing throughout most of its 



range. 



Nest. In hollow trees, 

 lined with grass, feathers, and down. 



Eggs : 



Fig. 64. 



to 10, ivory white. 



The hooded merganser or saw-bill is widely distributed and often 

 abundant during migration, frequently gathering in large flocks in 

 the rice lakes. It becomes very fat and its flesh rarely has any flavor 

 of fish. In fall it is one of the last ducks to leave, lingering on the 

 half frozen lakes and streams of the northern states. A little flock 

 may now and then be found in open rapids, when all the still water 

 is covered with ice. VERNON BAILEY. 



GENUS ANAS. 



General Characters. Bill flat, long, and slightly wider near end than 

 toward base ; wing with purple or green iridescent speculum occupying a 



