The Goosander.-] OF ORKNEY. 131 



GENUS XXXIL THE MERGANSER, OR DIVING- 

 GOOSE. 



Gen. Char. Bill slender, a little depressed, furnished with a crooked nail at the 

 end, edges very sharply serrated ; nostrils, near the middle of the mandible, 

 small and subovated ; tongue slender j feet, the exterior toe longer than the 

 middle. 



Species 1. The Goosander. 



Goosander, Wil. Orn. 335. Dundiver or Sparling- Fowl, Ibid. Rait Syn. At. 

 134. Mergus Merganser, Lin. Sys. 208. Brit. Zool. 436. Brit. Zool. IlluS. 

 tab. 83. Ore. Harle. 



WITH us the Goosander continues the whole year, and 

 may be seen every day in numbers on the lakes and in the 

 sea; builds on the small holms of the loch of Stenness, along 

 with other birds ; in harvest and winter fly in large flocks, in 

 summer in pairs ; the male and female are then strict compa- 

 nions, but, like many other birds, when breeding-time is over, 

 part company, and lose acquaintance. 



The description of this bird is exactly the same as in the 

 British Zoology, only I take the second species there describ- 

 ed to be the female of the above, as those I have killed are 

 of the same weight, have the very same marks ; and indeed 

 I cannot think I am mistaken, as I have killed both birds to- 

 gether. 



