HOODED MERGANSER. H>9 



pale ash, under which the greater coverts and seconda- 

 ries form four alternate bars of black and white : ter- 

 tials long, black, and streaked down the middle with 

 white : the black on the back curves prettily round 

 in two points on the breast, which, with all the lower 

 parts, are pure white : sides under the wings and 

 flanks reddish-brown, elegantly crossed with parallel 

 black lines : tail pointed, consisting of twenty sooty- 

 brown feathers : legs and feet flesh-coloured : claws 

 large and stout. The windpipe has a small labyrinth. 

 The female is rather less : the crest smaller, and of 

 a light rust colour, entirely destitute of white : the 

 upper half of the neck dull drab, with lighter semi- 

 circles : the white on the wings as in the male ; but 

 the tertials are shorter and less white : the back is 

 brownish-black : the rest of the plumage is similar to 

 that of the male. 



This species appears to be peculiar to North Ame- 

 rica : it is said to arrive at Hudson's Bay about the 

 end of May : it builds on the borders of the lakes ; 

 the female laying six white eggs, in a nest composed 

 of grass, lined with feathers plucked from her breast. 

 This species is migratory, and proceeds southwards 

 during the severity of the winter ; occurring during 

 that season in several of the United States of Ame- 

 rica. 



