MERGANSERS, OR FISHING DUCKS 



(Subfamily Mergince) 



American Merganser 



(Merganser americanus) 



Called also: GOOSANDER; SHELLDRAKE; SAW-BILL; FISH- 

 ING DUCK; DIVING GOOSE; BUFF-BREASTED SHELL- 

 DRAKE; WEASER; DUN DIVER. 



Length 23 to 27 inches. 



Male Head, which is slightly crested, and upper neck, glossy 

 greenish black; hind neck, breast, and markings on wings, 

 white; underneath delicately tinted with salmon buff. Back 

 black, fading to ashy gray on the lower part and tail. Wings 

 largely white; tips of the coverts white, forming a mirror, 

 and banded with black. Bill toothed and red, or nearly so, 

 and with black hook, and nostrils near the middle. 



Female and Young Smaller than male ; head and upper neck red- 

 dish brown ; rest of upper parts and tail ashy gray ; breast and 

 underneath white. 



Range North America generally, nesting from Minnesota north- 

 ward, and wintering from New England, Illinois, and Kansas 

 southward to southern States. 



Season Winter resident from November to April. 



A surprising number of popular names have attached them- 

 selves to this large, handsome swimmer that studiously avoids 

 populated regions and the sight of man; that no sportsman 

 would, or, indeed could, eat; that eludes pursuit by some very 

 remarkable diving and swimming feats, and therefore enjoys 

 popularity in names alone. Its preferences are for remote water- 

 ways at the north, where its family life is spent, only a few nests 

 being reported this side of the Canadian border; but when a hard 

 crust of ice locks up their fish, frogs, mollusks, and other aquatic 

 animal food, small companies of six or eight mergansers migrate 



87 



