624 BRITISH BIRDS. 



Genus MERGUS. 



The Mergansers were included in the tenth edition of the 'Systema 

 Naturae' of Linnaeus (1758, i, p. 129), as well as in the twelfth edition of 

 that work (1766, i. p. 207), in the genus Mergus. In 1760 Brisson, in his 

 ' Ornithologia/ committed the unpardonable blunder of transferring the 

 name of Mergus from the Mergansers to the Divers, adopting for the 

 former the generic term of Merganser. Fortunately for the interests of 

 science Brisson found few imitators, and no one now dreams of associating 

 the name of Mergus with the Divers. The Goosander, the Merganser 

 merganser of Brisson and the Mergus merganser of Linnaeus, is the type. 



The Mergansers may easily be recognized by their narrow bills, furnished 

 on both mandibles with teeth-like lamellae. In all other respects they are 

 Ducks. 



In the changes of their plumage they resemble the species of the genus 

 Anas. 



In addition to the three Arctic and semi- Arctic Mergansers which belong 

 to the list of British birds, a tropical species is a resident in Brazil. 



The Mergansers fly, swim, and dive very well, but walk badly. Their 

 haunts are both inland and on the shore ; they live principally on fish, but 

 do not refuse lower forms of animal life. Their notes are loud and harsh. 

 They not only nest on the ground, but frequently in hollow trees. 



