MERGANSERS 189 



Ad. 9 and Im. Top and back of head grayish brown washed with cinnamon- 

 rufous; sides of head and throat cinnamon-rufous, paler on throat; rest of 

 underparts white; back and tail ashy gray; speculum white. L., 22' 00; 

 W., 9'00; Tar., 1'70; B. from N., T80. 



Remarks. Adults of this and the preceding species may always be dis- 

 tinguished by the color of the breast; females arid young, by the differently 

 colored heads, whife the position of the nostril is always diagnostic. 



Range. N. part of N. Hemisphere. Breeds in N. Am., from Arctic 

 coast of Alaska, n. Mackenzie, Cumberland Sound, and Greenland (lat. 73) 

 s. to s. B. C., s. Alberta, s. Minn., cen. Wise., n. N. Y., s. Maine, and Sable 

 Island; winters in s. Greenland, the Commander Islands, and from s. British 

 Columbia, Utah, Colo., s. Wise., s. Ont., and Maine, s. to s. L. Calif., La., 

 and Fla. ; casual in Bermuda, Cuba, and Hawaii. 



Washington, uncommon W. V. L. I., abundant T. V., Mch. 25-May 2; 

 Oct. 15-Dec. 25; occasional in summer (and in winter). Ossining, common 

 T. V., Dec.-Apl. 30. Cambridge, uncommon T. V., in late fall. N. Ohio, 

 tolerably common T. V., Mch. 10-May 10; Dec. 1-29. SE. Minn., T. V., 

 Apl. 1 ; casual W. R. 



Nest, of leaves, grasses, mosses, etc., lined with down, on the ground near 

 water, among rocks or scrubby bushes. Eggs, 6-12, creamy buff, 2'55 x 1*75. 

 Date, Seal Is., Magdalen Islands, June 24. 



"These Mergansers are often observed to hunt in company, a large 

 flock sometimes advancing with wide extended front, driving the fish 

 before them and diving simultaneously, so that whichever way their 

 prey may dart there is a serrated beak and capacious gullet ready to 

 receive them" (Eaton). 



1911. TOWNSEND, C. W., Auk, XXVIII, 341-345 (courtship and 

 migration). 



131. Lophodytes cucullatus (Linn.). HOODED MEKGANSER. Ad. <?. 

 Front part of large circular crest black; remaining part white, bordered by 

 black; rest of head, the neck and back black; breast and belly white; sides 

 cinnamon-rufous, finely barred with black. Ad. 9. Upper throat white; 

 head, neck and upper breast grayish brown, more or less tinged with cinna- 

 mon, especially on the small crest; lower breast and belly white; sides 

 grayish brown; back fuscous. Im. cf. Similar, but throat blackish. L., 

 17'50 W., 7'50; Tar., r 10; B., 1'45. 



Range. N. Am. Breeds from cen. British Columbia, Great Slave Lake, 

 cen. Keewatin, cen. Ungava, and N. F., s. to s. Ore., n. N. Mex., s. La., 

 and cen. Fla.; winters from s. B. C., Utah, Colo., Nebr., Ills., Ind., Pa. 

 and Mass. s. to L. Calif., Mex., the Gulf States, and Cuba; rare in ne 

 part of range; recorded from St. Michael, Alaska, and from Europe 

 and Bermuda. 



Washington, uncommon W. V., Sept. 11-Apl. 8. Long Island, common 

 T. V. in fall, Nov. 5-Dec. 14; rare W. V. and in spring. Ossining, rare T. V., 

 Mch, Cambridge, formerly common T. V., Nov. 1030. N. Ohio, not com- 

 mon T. V., Apl. 1-15; Nov. 1-30. Glen Ellyn, rare T. V., spring only, 

 Apl 8- June 5. SE. Minn., common T. V., uncommon S. R., Mch. 24-Oct. 26. 



Nest, of grasses, leaves, moss, etc., lined with down, in a hollow tree or 

 stump near water. Eggs, 8-10, buffy white, 2' 10 x 1'75. Date, Saranac, 

 Mich., Apl. 22. 



As Ernest Seton has pointed out, both the preceding species of 

 Mergansers frequent chiefly living' or running water, while this bird 

 prefers 'dead' waters, or quiet ponds and lakes. In Florida it lives in 

 small ponds in the 'hummocks,' where one expects to find Wood Ducks, 

 and feeds on roots, seeds, etc. It visits also the lakes frequented by 



