DUCKS, GEESE, AND SWANS. 219 



RED-BREASTED MERGANSER. 



This handsome sea-bird, the Mergus serrator of 

 Linnaeus and most modern ornithologists, is un- 

 fortunately a winter visitor only to English waters. 

 In Scotland and Ireland, however, it is one of the 

 most familiar coast birds all the year round. The 

 Red-breasted Merganser cannot readily be confused 

 with any other Duck. The crested head and upper 

 neck are black, shot with green and purple, the 

 lower neck and upper breast are buff, streaked with 

 black, the feathers on the sides of the breast having 

 broad black margins, the flanks are strongly vermi- 

 culated with black, the back is black, vermiculated 

 with gray on the lower portions, the inner scapulars 

 are black, the outer ones white, the speculum is 

 white, barred with black, and the underparts (except 

 the flanks) are white. The female has the head 

 and neck reddish-brown, and the upper parts brown, 

 the black-bordered feathers on the sides of the 

 breast are absent. Although found in many inland 

 districts, the favourite resorts of the Red-breasted 

 Merganser are wild, rocky coasts, such as contain 

 plenty of quiet bays and creeks, and lochs studded 

 with islands. Waters where the bottom is sandy 

 or rocky, are preferred to those in which it is 

 composed of mud. Many birds of this species 

 visit our coasts for the winter from more northern 

 haunts, whilst some of those dwelling in Scottish 

 waters draw southwards at that season. This 



