264 ZOOLOGY. 



and the nostril ; outline of those on the sides nearly vertical and reaching but little beyond the beginning of lower edge of bill, 

 but as far as those on the side of lower jaw. Nostril large, far forward, its middle opposite the middle of the commissure. 



Male. — Head without conspicuous crest. Head and neck green. Fore part of back black; beneath salmon color. Wings 

 mostly white, crossed by one band of black. Sides scarcely barred transversely. 



Female. — Head with a compressed occipital crest. Head and neck chestnut. Above ashy; beneath ealmcm colored. White 

 of greater coverts with a terminal bar of ashy, (sometimes wanting;) the black of base of secondaries eutirely concealed. 

 Outer terliais, ash. 



Length, '26.50 ; wing, 11.(10; tarsus, 1.84; commissure, 2.90. 



Hub. — Whole of North America. 



The American sheldrake or merganser is abundant during the warmer months, and some 

 even remain all winter, leaving their favorite rivers for the open bays. They are found, in 

 summer, in almost every small lake and mountain stream, though the males are not so often 

 seen there as the females, with their broods of young. In September the young, being fully 

 fledged, associate in flocks of several hundreds, in which I have never seen any adult males. 

 In January these last are seen in small flocks by themselves, with the head and neck in perfect 

 green plumage.— C. 



The common goosander or American sheldrake is very frequently found near Fort Steilacoom 

 and upon the Columbia river in winter. They are very widely distributed thi'oughout both Ter- 

 ritories. I shot a female in the Bitter Root chain of the Rocky mountains in October, 1853, 

 where they were quite abundant on the branches of Clark's river. Near Fort Steilacoom they 

 are scarce in summer, the greater mimber, probably, retiring to the recesses of the Cascade 

 mountains or further north to breed. — S. 



MERGUS SERRATOR, Linn. 



Red-breasted Merganser. 



Mergm serrator, Linn. Syst. Nat. I, 1766, 208.— Gm. I, 546.— Wilson, Am. Orn. VIII, 1814, 81 ; pi. Ixix.— Sw. F. 

 Bor. Am. 11, 1831, 462.— Nuttall, Man II. 1834, 463.— Aud. Orn. Biog. V, 183'J, 92; pi. 401.— 

 Ib Syn. 298 —Ib. Birds Am. VI, 1843, 395; pi. 412.— Baird, Gen. Eep. Birds, 814. 



ilerganser serrator, Steph. Shaw's Gen. Zool. XII, 1824, 165.— Bon. List, 1838. 



Sp. Ch. — Feathers of the forehead extending on the bUl in a short obtuse angle, and falling far short of the end of those on 

 the sides ; the outline of the latter sloping rapidly forward, and reaching half way from the posterior end of the lower edge of 

 bill to the nostrils, and fai" beyond those on the side of lower jaw. Nostrils narrow, posterior ; their posterior outline opposite 

 the end of basal third of commissure. 



Male. — Head with conspicuous pointed occipital crest. Head and upper part of neck, all around, dark green ; under parts 

 reddish white. Jugulum reddish brown, streaked with black. Sides conspicuously barred transversely with fine lines of black. 

 Feathers anterior to wing, white, margined with black. White of wing crossed by two bars of black. 



Female — Head with compressed occipital crest ; chestnut brown. Body above ash ; beneath reddish white. The black at 

 base of secondaries exposed ; outer tertials white, edged with black. 



Length, 23.25 ; wing, 8.60; tarsus, 1.80; commissure, 2.76. 



Hah. Whole of North America and Europe. 



I obtained one specimen of this merganser at Fort Steilacoom, where it is not uncommon. 

 In habits it closely resembles the preceding species. — S. 



The red-breasted sheldrake is common from September to April, but I have not obtained 

 them during summer, though it is not unlikely that they breed in some parts of the territory. 

 The shyness of these birds in summer makes it difScult to distinguish this from the last species 

 as they fly. — C. 



