706 MERGID/E. 



Mergus merganser. The Goosander. 



1407- Mergus merganser (Lmn.), Gould, B. Eur. pi. 384; 



Hume and Marsh., Game Birds iii. p. 299. Mergus castor, Jerd., B. Ind. iii. 

 p. 817; Sir. F. i. p. 422; ii. pp. 336, 439; iv. pp. 202, 496; v. p. 323; 

 vii. p. 149; Murray, Vert. Zool., Sind, p. 309. The GOOSANDER or 

 MERGANSER. 



Head with a short thick crest, and upper part of the neck glossy blackish 

 green ; lower neck white ; breast, abdomen and under tail coverts white, 

 tinged with orange buff; upper back and scapulars black; lower back and 

 upper tail coverts ashy ; tail ashy grey ; wing coverts and outermost scapu- 

 lars rich orange buff, the latter edged with black. The female and young 

 male have the head and neck reddish brown, the upper plumage ashy, the 

 throat white, and a white speculum on the wing. Bill blood red ; black on 

 the culmen ; irides and feet red. 



Length. 25 to 28 inches; wing 10-9 to 12 ; tail 4*8 to 5 '9; tarsus r8 to 

 2*03 ; bill from gape 27 to 2-9. Females average 22-9 to 25 inches in length. 



Hob. This species, although not yet reported from Sind, will no doubt be 

 found to occur. It is said to occur in the Punjab, N.-W. Provinces, and 

 Bengal, and also in Ajmere, and to breed in the higher valleys of the Hima- 

 layas, and in Beloochistan and Persia. A woodcut of the species is given to 

 aid identification. 



Mergellus. Seiby. 



Bill shorter and wider than in Mergus ; tip broad and much less hooked j 

 mandible toothed. 



1408. Mergellus albellus (Linn.}, Bodd.P. E. 449; Gould, B. 



Eur. pi. 387; Jerd. t B. Ind. iii p. 818; Str. F. i. p. 265; iv. pp. 31, 202; 

 Murray, Edbk., Zool., fyc., Sind, p. 240; id., Vert. Zool., Sind, p. 310; 

 Hume, Game Birds Ind. iii. p. 263. The SMEW. 



