GARROT. NATATORES. CLANGULA. 373 



sides yellowish-brown, margined with brownish-grey. 

 Flanks umber-brown. Abdomen and belly greyish- 

 white, undulated with clove-brown. Spot between the 

 bill and eye, and upon the ear-coverts, white. Chin 

 and throat greyish-white. 



The young males resemble in a great measure the females 

 for the first year, and do not acquire the white collar 

 till after the second moult. 



SUBFAMILY MERGINA. 



BILL narrow, cylindrical, with the margins toothed ; and 

 the tip armed with a hooked nail. 



GENUS MERGUS, LINN. MERGANSER. 



GENERIC CHARACTERS. 



BILL as long as, or longer than, the head, narrow, and al- 

 most cylindrical ; high at the base ; tapering towards the 

 point, which is armed with a strong hooked dertrum, or nail ; 

 edges of both mandibles toothed or serrated, with the serra- 

 tures generally pointing backwards. Chin-angle very long, 

 reaching nearly to the nail of the under mandible. Nostrils 

 near the middle of the bill lateral, pervious, oblong, longitu- 

 dinally cleft in the membrane. Tongue long, pointed, ci- 

 liated. 



Wings of mean length, acute ; the first and second quills 

 nearly equal in length. Tail graduated or rounded ; rather 

 long. 



Legs placed far backward, short. Feet large ; of four 

 toes, three before and one behind ; the front toes webbed. 

 Outer and middle toes of equal length, and longer than the 



