402 BIRDS OF THE WEST OF SCOTLAND. 



Dr Macgillivray states (B.B., vol. v., p. 220) that very con- 

 siderable differences as to size occur in both sexes. I have seven 

 specimens, all killed in winter, from the Outer Hebrides and the 

 mainland of Argyll, now on the table before me, but can discern 

 no appreciable difference either in size or coloration; nor do any 

 of my notes on the bird found in other parts of Scotland furnish a 

 corroboration of that author's statement. I have specimens in 

 breeding plumage from the counties of Perth, Sutherland, and 

 Ross, and have at various times carefully examined others taken 

 in September and October in the eastern counties ranging from 

 Berwick to Caithness, and all may be said to show an unusual 

 uniformity with respect to colour and measurements. 



Writing from the west of Argyllshire, Mr Graham says: " The 

 Red-breasted Merganser is the more abundant of the two species, 

 being in fact our common goosander. A very pretty sight they 

 make in some rock-embosomed creek a party of some half-dozen, 

 including one splendid male. At one time they float upon their 

 own reflections imaged in the dark-blue water; then, as if by word 

 of command, they all leap down together into the depths below. 

 After a minute's interval, up they pop to the surface, emerging witli 

 great buoyancy. They are now a little scattered, so they converge 

 upon their gallant admiral, whose bright parti-coloured plumage 

 is further set off by the rich soft shades of chesnut which forms 

 their own colouring. They advance with great swiftness through 

 the water, without any visible effort or motion of any part of the 

 body. The long slender neck is kept erect and motionless, except 

 to turn the head and long coral bill gracefully round as the bird 

 looks about, suspicious of lurking danger." 



As young males resemble the female bird in plumage, the sex 

 can always be readily ascertained without dissection by passing 

 the fingers along the windpipe. That of the male has an enlarge- 

 ment at the end where it enters the body, while the trachea of 

 the female is of a uniform thickness throughout its entire 

 length. 



