J5$ BRITISH BIRDS. 



244. M. serrator (Linn.). RED-BREASTED MERGANSER. 



Hab. Northern Palaearctic and Nearctic regions. 



Male : head, throat, upper neck, and a line down back 

 of lower neck, black, glossed with green ; rest of middle 

 neck white ; greater wing-coverts, secondaries and outer 

 scapulars chiefly white ; rest of wing and mantle black : 

 rump and upper tail-coverts slate with black vermicula- 

 tions ; upper breast pale chestnut streaked with black, a 

 patch of feathers on each side white broadly edged with 

 black ; under parts white ; bill red, nail black ; iris bright 

 red ; feet orange-red. Length 22*00. Female : smaller 

 than female of M. merganser j mantle is dusky-brown, 

 and greater wing-coverts are tipped with black, forming a 

 bar across white wing-patch. 



Breeds in the Highlands, Hebrides, Orkneys, Shetlands 

 and in nearly all parts of Ireland. To England a winter 

 visitor. Nest : well hidden in heather or long grass, under 

 a boulder, or in a hole in the ground. Eggs ; 7 to 10 ; 

 pale buff, tinged with green ; 2*55 by 1*75. 



ORDER COX.U1K8JE. 



Family Columbidse. 



GENUS CXXXIII. COLUMBA, Linnaeus (1766). 

 Bill moderate, compressed, tip slightly decurved ; base 

 furnished with a soft membrane in which nostrils are 

 situated. Wings long, ample. Tarsus short, scaled in 

 front ; toes long, three before, one behind. 



245. Columba palumbus (Linn.). RING-DOVE. 

 Hab. Western Palsearctic region. 



Adult : plumage bluish-slate, paler on rump and browner 

 on mantle ; neck glossed with green and purple and 



