194 MERGANSERIN^E. MERGANSER. 



which they line with down, and lay numerous elliptical, 

 cream-coloured, or white eggs. The young presently 

 betake themselves to the water. 



GENUS CXXXV. MERGANSER. GOOSANDER. 



Body large, elongated, elliptical, depressed ; neck long ; 

 head moderate, oblong, anteriorly narrowed. Bill about the 

 length of the head, nearly straight or slightly arcuate, ra- 

 ther stout, of greater height than breadth at the base, taper- 

 ing to the middle, beyond which it is slender and cylindri- 

 cal; upper mandible with the lateral sinuses short and round- 

 ed, the upper angle rather acute, the ridge broad at the base, 

 gradually narrowed, the nasal sinus oblong, the unguis ob- 

 longo-elliptical, convex, abruptly decurved, the edges mar- 

 ginate, serrate, with dentiform, compressed, tapering lamella?. 

 Palate flat, anteriorly with a medial prominent line, and on 

 each side a series of slight oblique lamellae ; tongue slender, 

 papillate, or bristly above and on the edges, with the tip nar- 

 row and lacerated ; oesophagus very wide ; stomach roundish, 

 very muscular, with dense rugous epithelium ; intestine long ; 

 cceca moderate, narrow at the base, cylindrical, obtuse ; rec- 

 tum with a globular dilatation. Trachea in the male with 

 one or two dilatations, and an enormously large bony and 

 membranous tympanum. Nostrils oblong, pervious. Eyes 

 rather small. Aperture of ear extremely small. Legs very 

 short, placed far behind ; tarsus stout, compressed, anteriorly 

 with small scutella ; hind toe very small, anterior long, the 

 outer little shorter than the third ; interdigital membranes 

 full ; claws small, slightly arcuate, rather acute. Plumage 

 moderately full, firm ; feathers of the occiput and nape elon- 

 gated and slender ; scapulars and inner secondaries elon- 

 gated ; wings short, acuminate, of twenty-six quills ; prima- 

 ries stiffish, tapering, the first longest ; tail small, much 

 rounded, of eighteen stiffish feathers. 



267. MfeRGus CASTOR. BUFF-BREASTED GOOSANDER. 



Male twenty-six inches long, with a broad longitudinal, 

 rather inconspicuous, crest of oblong feathers ; the bill and 

 feet red j the head and upper neck greenish- black ; the back 



