RED-BREASTED MERGANSER. 103 



remainder white; two conspicuous white bands are formed 

 by these and the others across the wing; tertiaries, white, 

 edged narrowly with glossy black. Tail, greyish black; it 

 consists of sixteen feathers, the shafts of the feathers are 

 very strong; upper tail coverts, white, with grey waved 

 pencillings; under tail coverts, white. Legs and toes, bright 

 reddish orange; webs, darker reddish brown. 



The male in summer assumes temporarily the plumage of 

 the female. 



The female is rather less in size than the male. Length, 

 about one foot nine inches; bill, dark orange reddish brown; 

 iris, orange red. The head and crown, on which latter the 

 feathers are darker, and at its- back elongated^ are reddish 

 brown; neck behind and nape, also reddish brown; chin, 

 paler brown,, or greyish white. Throat and breast on the 

 upper part, white,, spotted with dusky, the centres of the 

 feathers being of that hue, below the breast is white;, the 

 sides blackish grey, the edges of the feathers paler. Back, 

 brown, or blackish grey, the edges of the feathers paler. 



Greater wing coverts, dark brownish black, ended with 

 white; lesser wing coverts, brown; primaries, dark brownish 

 black; secondaries, dark brownish black, the ends white, 

 forming with the tips of the greater coverts two white bands 

 across the wing a double speculum, as it were; tertiaries, 

 white, but broadly edged with dark brownish black, and 

 except on one or two the white is impure. Tail,, brownish 

 grey; upper tail coverts, brownish grey;, under tail coverts, 

 white. Legs and toes, dull orange reddish. 



When first hatched the young are dark brown above, below 

 white, the sides of the neck reddish. 



The young male afterwards resembles the female, but is 

 brighter coloured. The bill is pale red, the ridge of the 

 upper mandible horn-colour r the head dark brown, the crest 

 very short, the chin nearly white, but tinged with brown. 

 The lower part of the neck grey,, tipped with white; the 

 back of the neck grey; breast,, dull white, the flanks grey; 

 back and lesser wing coverts, hoary grey; primaries, dark 

 brown, the outer webs black; secondaries the same, except 

 six, which are broadly tipped with white, forming the specu- 

 lum, which, when closed, has a dark wedge-shaped mark 

 across it. The wings underneath mottled with grey and 

 white; under tail coverts, grey. Legs arid toes, dull orange, 

 the joints tinged with dusky; the webs dusky grey. 



