BIRDS OF SOMERSETSHIRE. 



of the outside coverts of the primaries, which are 

 black; primary quills black; secondaries white, 

 some of them very narrowly edged with black ; lower 

 part of the back, rump and tail-coverts bluish grey, 

 with a dark streak on the shaft of each feather ; tail 

 rather a darker grey ; the feathers at the back of the 

 thigh to the tail-coverts pale buff, pencilled with 

 black ; legs and toes orange-red ; webs rather darker. 

 The females and young males have the head and 

 upper part of the neck chesnut ; back and all the 

 upper parts slate-grey; wing-coverts rather paler; 

 secondary quills white ; primaries black ; chin white ; 

 the breast and all the under parts the same colour 

 as those parts in the males;* sides of the breast 

 and flanks mixed with slate- grey, rather paler than 

 on the back. In this plumage the Goosander is the 

 " Dun Diver" or " Sparling Fowl" of Bewick. The 

 young males may always be distinguished from the 

 females by passing the fingers down the neck, as 

 they have two enlargements in the windpipe, which 

 may be easily felt, and which the females do not 

 possess. 



This is the last of the Anatidse or Ducks which 

 I am able to mention. They are a very beautiful 



* Yarrell says of these parts " tinged with buff ; " but in 

 all the recently-killed specimens I have seen they are nearly 

 as richly coloured as in the males. 



