BIRDS OF INDIANA. 593 



kakee River, near Kouts, Ind. This he found hanging on the side of 

 a hunter's cabin on April 15. That day another hunter brought to 

 him a female, which he thought was the mate of the one previously 

 killed. 



It has not been found breeding in Indiana. Mr. E. W. Nelson 

 (Birds of N. E. Illinois, p. 144) notes it as a rare summer resident, 

 and says it frequents small, reedy lakes, and nests upon old muskrat 

 houses. Mr. C. L. Cass informs me that he found nests of this Mer- 

 ganser near Cross Village, Mich, (where it breeds commonly), in the 

 summers of 1896 and 1897, and adds that Mr. Ed. Van Winkle, -of 

 Van's Harbor, has also found this duck breeding. Mr. S. L. White 

 reports having found a nest on Round Island, near Mackinac Island. 

 It was located under a low cedar near the water's edge, and contained 

 nine eggs (Cook, Birds of Michigan, p. 38). 



Prof. Macoun says, in Manitoba, where this duck commonly breeds, 

 both it and the Hooded Merganser feed largely on vegetable food, and 

 are quite edible (E. E. Thompson, Birds of Manitoba, p. 474). 



15. GENUS LOPHODYTES REICHKNBACH. 

 a 1 . Speculum white, with two dark bars. L. cucullatus (Linn.). 27 



*27. (131.) Lophodytes cucullatus (LINN.). 



Hooded Merganser. 



Nostrils near the base of the maxilla; frontal feathers, reaching be- 

 yond those on sides of bill; a compact, erect semi-circular, laterally 

 compressed crest in the male. Smaller and less rounded in the female. 

 Male. Black, including two crescents in front of wing, and bar across 

 speculum; under parts, center of crest, speculum, and stripes on ter- 

 tials, white; sides, chestnut, black-barred. Female. Smaller; head 

 and neck, brown; chin whitish; back and sides, dark-brown, the 

 feathers with paler edges; white on the wing less; bill, reddish at base 

 below. 



Length, 17.50-19.00; wing, 7.50-7.90; culmen, 1.50; tarsus, 1.25- 

 1.30, 



RANGE. North America, generally, south to Mexico and Cuba, 

 breeding nearly throughout its range. 



Nest, in hollow trees or stumps, made of leaves or grasses, lined with 

 down. Eggs, 6-18; pearly-white; 2.15 by 1.72. 



Very abundant migrant, less common winter resident, and locally 

 resident in some numbers. Throughout the State the Hooded Mer- 

 ganser may be found in winter, the more numerous the more open the 

 38 GEOL. 



