MERGANSERS. 



99 



Moh. 



tree or 



lor its 

 -cake 



lich in 



it will readily pass undornoath it. It swims so dooply as to afford tlie 

 gunner but a small mark, and dives so quickly at the snap or flash of 

 his gun that he stands but a small chance of killing it. 



'• On being surprised the Goosander may rise directly out of the 

 water, but more connnonly pats the surface with his feet for some 

 yards and then rises to windward. A whole flock thus rising from 

 some foaming current affords a spirited scene. Once on the wing, the 

 flight is straight, strong, and raiiid" (Langille). 



130« Merganser serrator (Linn.). KKu-nREASTEo Mekganser; 

 SiiELLDKAKE. Ad. 6. — Wliole lictid und tlirout black, inorc greenish above; 

 a wliite ring around tlie neck; a broad cin/ta/non-rti/oua band with black 

 streaks on the upper breast and sides of the lower neek ; lestor wing-eoverts, 

 tips of greater ones, secondaries, breast, anil belly wliite; rump and sides 

 finely barred with black and wliite. Ad. 9 (tml fin. — Top and back of head 

 grayish brown wasiied with einiiainon-rufous; sides of the head and tiiroat 

 cinnainon-rufous, paler on the throat; rest of under parts white; back and 

 tail ashy gray; speculum wiiite. L., '22'0O; W., DOO; Tar., 1*70; B. from 

 N., 1-80. 



Hemarks. — Adults of tiiis and the jtreeediiig species may always be dis- 

 tinguisiied by the color of the breast; females and young, by tiie ditferently 

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



h'ange. — Northern parts of the northern hemispliere; in .Vnierica l>reed8 

 from northern Illinois and New Brunswick northward to the arctic regions; 

 winters from near the southern limits of its breciliiig range southward to Cut)a. 



Washington, uncommon W. V. Long Island, abundant T. V., Mcli. 1 to 

 May 1 ; ^)ct. IT) to Dec. 1, a few winter. Sing Sing, common T. V., Dec. to 

 Apl. 30. Cambri'lge, casual, one instance, Oct. 



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

 water, among rocks or scrubby bushes, t^ggs^ si.K to twelve, creamy bulf, 

 2-55 X 1-75. 



This is a more common species than the preceding, which it resem- 

 bles in habits. Its note is described as a " croak." 



131* liOphodsrtescucullatus (/.//"!.). IIoodeo Mcrganser. Ad. s. 



— Front part of large circular crest blaek ; remaining i)art white, bordered by 

 black ; rest of head, the neck, and bad: black ; breast and l)elly white; sides 

 cinnamon-rufous, linely barred with black. Ad. 9 . — Upper throat white ; head, 

 neck, and upper breast grayish brown, more or less tinged with cinnamon, 

 especially on the small crest; lower lireast and belly white; sides grayish 

 brown ; back fuscous. //w.^Similar, but with no crest. L., 17".')"; W., 7'r)0; 

 Tar., 1-10; B., 1-45. 



Range. — North Amcriea generally, south in winter to Cuba and Mexico ; 

 breeds locally throughout its North American range. 



Washington, uncommon W. V. Long Island, uncommon T. V., rare W. V., 

 Nov. to May. Sing Sing, rare T. V., Mch. Cambridge, formerly common T. 

 v., Oct. to Dec. 



