ERISMATURA MERGUS 635 



Hob. Southern Europe, accidental in Germany and Northern 

 France ; Northern Africa ; Central Asia east to Turkestan, 

 south in winter to India. 



Appears to affect fresh water and brackish lagoons in prefer- 

 ence to the sea, and usually when alarmed seeks safety by 

 diving in preference to taking wing. It breeds amongst the 

 reeds and aquatic plants, depositing in June 7 to 9 eggs, dull 

 white in colour, very coarse in texture of shell, and measuring 

 about 275 by 1*95. 



MERGUS, Linn., 1766. 



878. GOOSANDER. 

 MERGUS MERGANSER. 



Mergus merganser, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 208 (1766) ; Naum. xii. p. 358, 

 Taf. 326 ; Hewitson, ii. p. 439, pi. cxviii. fig. 3.; Gould, v. pi. 384 ; 

 Dresser, vi. p. 685, pi. 452 ; David and Oust. Ois. Chine, p. 510 ; 

 Saunders, p. 471 ; Lilford, vii. p. 137, pi. 58 ; Tacz. F. 0. Sib. O. 

 p. 1203 ; M. castor, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 209 (1766) ; Gould, B. of 

 Gt. Brit. v. pi. 34 ; (Salvadori), Cat. B. Br. Mus. xxvii. p. 472 ; 

 (Blanf.), F. Brit. Ind. Birds, iv. p. 469 ; M. comatus (Salv.), torn, 

 cit. p. 475 (1895). 



Grand Harle, French ; Smergo maggiore, Ital. ; Grosser Sager, 

 Oerman ; Groote Zaagbek,~D\itch ; Stor Skallesluger,T)&n..;Kdrfdgcl, 

 Norweg. ; Storskrake, Swed. ; Kussa-koalsi, Lapp. ; Iso-koskelo, 

 Un-koskelo, Finn. ; Bolshoy-Krahal, Kuss. ; Ghtlond, Icel. ; Kawa- 

 aisa, Jap. 



ad. (Archangel). Head and upper neck glossed with green, the 

 occipital feathers elongated ; lower neck and upper back white, the latter 

 marked with black, becoming with the outer webs of scapulars glossy 

 "black ; lower back, rump, upper tail-coverts, and tail dark ashy, the last 

 darkest ; primaries ashy black ; secondaries white margined with black, 

 the innermost black ; primary coverts, edge and base of wing blackish 

 grey ; rest of wing-coverts anc^ under parts white, the breast and abdomen 

 tinged with warm reddish buff ; bill deep vermilion, the ridge of upper 

 mandible and tooth blackish ; legs vermilion ; iris deep reddish brown. 

 Culmen 2*4, wing ll'O, tail 5'0, tarsus 1'9 inch. The female has the crown, 

 nape, and upper neck rusty red, the lores and round the eye dark brown ; 

 upper parts brown, greyish on the back ; chin, lower neck, and under 

 parts white, the flanks marked with pale slate-grey ; wings as in the 

 male. 



