NATATORES — ANATID.dE MERGUS. 319 



THE RED-BREASTED SHELDRAKE. 



Mergus serkator. 



PLATJS Uii. FIG. 260. 



(STATE COLLECTION.) 



Mergus senator, Linnjeus, p. 109. Red-breasted Merganser, Pennant, Arct. Zopl. Vol. 2,p. 537. 



M. id. Wilson, Am. Orn. Vol. 8, p. 91, pi. 69, fig. 1 (male). Bonapartjs, Ann. Lye. N. Y. Vol. 2, p. 397. 



Audubon, B. of A. Vol. 6, p. 395, pi. 412 (male and female). Richardson, F. B. A. Vol.2, p. 462. 



Nuttall, Man. Orn. Vol. 2, p. 463. 



Characteristics. Mirror white, crossed by one or more black bars ; bill and feet red ; nos- 

 trils sub-basal : a long slender pendant crest. Male, black ; lower part 

 of neck and beneath white ; head and crest purplish green. Female, 

 ash brown ; head and crest reddish brown. Length, 24 ' 0. 



Description. Bill toothed as in the preceding, slender, 2*0 long measured from above the 

 tip, very abruptly curved down : nostrils near the base, linear, pervious. Occipital crest 

 composed of linear elongated feathers, some of which are 2' 5 long. Tarsus robust, com- 

 pressed, 1 ' 8 in length : margins of the webs deeply concave, that of the hind toe extending 

 beyond the nail. Tail short, rounded, and composed of eighteen slightly pointed feathers. 

 Male : Sides of the head and neck glossy green. Remainder of the head, the chin, half of 

 the throat, line on the back of the neck, the back shoulders, scapulars and edges of the tertials 

 black. Lower part of the neck, coverts of scapulars, ends of greater coverts, secondaries, 

 tertials and all beneath white. Breast and sides of the neck reddish varied with black. 

 Flanks, rump, and upper tail-coverts white, minutely waved with black. Bill and feet red. 

 Female : Head, neck and crest dull rusty or reddish brown : throat white ; fore part of the 

 neck and breast varied with white and ash grey ; above dark ash ; mirror with one bar. This, 

 and the form of the line of junction of the feathers with the bill, are the chief distinctive 

 marks between this and the female of the preceding species. Young of the year : Head 

 deep brown ; throat greyish white ; bill pale red. 



Length, 23-0-25-0. 



This species is also called the Sawbill, Whistler, and Pied Sheldrake, in this State. It 

 breeds in the interior of the State, and generally throughout the Union. The eggs vary from 

 six to eight, of a uniform dull yellowish color. It occurs on the Columbia river, and has 

 the same geographical range with the preceding. It is found in Europe and .America. 



