THE AMERICAN MERGANSER. 619 



other species. It does not furnish good sport for the professional sportsman, 

 because it refuses to be afraid, and will not fly, but prefers to dive instead. 



The reddish-brown back and tail pointing stiffly straight up, or even 

 inclining slightly forward, give to these birds a decidedly wren-like appear- 

 ance. The reddish back and broad white stripe below and behind the eye are 

 good field marks. While the birds dive readily, and obtain their food well 

 below the surface of the water, they do not resort to diving as much as the 

 Ruffle-head does when danger threatens. For them danger lies in getting within 

 range of the man with a gun who must kill something, but cares not at all 

 for true sport. 



The Ruddy Duck passes across Ohio during April and the first week in 

 May, and returns during October and November. Some may pass the winter 

 within the state where conditions are favorable. In the air the flocks are 

 compact and the flight is rapid. The birds rise from the water together, and 

 do not scatter even when shot at. 



It may be that some few pairs nest in northwestern Ohio, but that has 

 not been certainly determined yet. Reports of breeding on the St. Clair Flats 

 seem to need positive confirmation. The nest is placed near water among the 

 grasses and reeds, or over the water, like the nest of a grebe. It is well 

 concealed in the tall reeds, of whose stems it is made, like a roughly woven 

 basket, and it is lined with down from the breast of the mother bird. The 

 down seems to be added little by little, so that nests with a few fresh eggs 

 contain very little, while nests with eggs well along in incubation are well 

 filled, and the eggs almost or quite hidden under the down. This habit is not 

 peculiar to the Ruddy Duck, but seems to be shared by many species. Appar- 

 ently this duck is one of the later breeders ; the most of the nests with full 

 sets should be looked for about the middle of June. LYNDS JONES. 



No. 307. 



AMERICAN MERGANSER. 



A. O. U. No. 129. Merganser americanus (Cass.). 



Synonyms. GOOSANDER; SHELLDRAKE; SAW-BILL; FISH DUCK. 



Description. Adult male : Head and upper neck greenish black, the hind- 

 neck loosely crested ; upper back, inner scapulars, and a prominent short bar 

 formed by exposed bases of greater coverts, black ; the primaries and their coverts 

 dusky ; lower back and tail ashy-gray ; neck all around, outer scapulars, most of the 

 wing coverts, speculum, and entire under parts white, the latter delicately tinged 

 with pale salmon (this generally fading to creamy-white in skins) ; tertiaries white, 

 bordered narrowly with black ; flanks wavy-barred, ashy-gray and white ; bill and 

 feet vermilion, the former black on ridge, with black hooked nail ; iris carmine. 



