412 THE HOODED MERGANSER. 



quickly at the snap or flash of his gun, that he stands but a 

 small chance of killing it. 



On being surprised, the Goosander may rise directly out 

 of the water, but more commonly pats the surface with his 

 feet for some yards, and then rises to windward. A whole 

 flock, thus rising from some foaming current, affords a 

 spirited scene. Once on the wing, the flight is straight, 

 strong and rapid. 



Though Richardson reported the Goosander as abundant 

 in the fur countries, Audubon did not find it in Labrador or 

 Newfoundland, where its congener, the Red-breast, breeds 

 in abundance. Though it is common alike to the salt and 

 fresh waters of North America, Europe and Asia, never look 

 for it in turbid water. Its voice, which is simply a hoarse 

 croak, is rarely to be heard except from the female as she 

 rises from her nest on being surprised, or seeks to extricate 

 her young from some sudden danger. 



THE HOODED MERGANSER. 



During this month of June, I occasionally see the ele- 

 gant Hooded Merganser (Mergus cucullatus) on the more 

 open parts of this northern extremity of the bay. Here 

 it is so exceedingly shy that I am obliged to study it in 

 the distance, with the aid of a glass. What an elegant 

 creature the male is ! About 18 inches or upward in 

 length, he has a large semicircular crest of long, loose 

 feathers, so compressed, laterally, that it assumes a thin 

 edge, thus giving the head a large circular appearance 

 from the side, and making the slender bill, so peculiar to the 

 Mergansers and differentiating them at first sight from 

 the Ducks, to appear particularly diminutive. The head, 

 neck, back, two crescents in front of the wings, and two 

 bars in the speculum are jet-black; crest, excepting the 



