6 NOTES ON THE 
grasses, with some roots. Over these is the true nest, com- 
posed of fine roots chiefly, which is covered with a layer of 
feathers. They lay about ten, light, dirty, drab colored eggs. 
I have found but one while employed for nidification, although 
several have come to my notice by finding the fragments of 
shells associated with them. The young birds were in the 
water of a draining ditch on the 9th of June. The species is 
abundantly reported in both migrations, yet only a very few . 
individuals have seen these ducks during the summer, for the 
obvious reason that, like all other locally breeding ducks, 
they are rarely found on the wing. Hence Mr. Washburn’s 
statement that he found the species rather rare in the Red 
River valley in July and August. They remain till very late 
in November, and occasionally all winter, as I have repeatedly 
seen them in open rapids on spring fed streams and the Mis- 
sissippi. 
SPECIFIC CHARACTERS. 
Feathers of the forehead extending on the bill in a short, 
obtuse angle, and falling far short of the end of those on the 
sides; the outline of the latter sloping rapidly forwards, and 
reaching half way from the posterior end of the lower edge of 
the bill to the nostrils, and far beyond those on the side of the 
lower jaw. Nostrils posterior and narrow, their posterior 
outline opposite the end of the basal third of the commissure. 
Head with a conspicuous, pointed, occipital crest. Head and 
upper part of neck all around dark green; under parts red- 
dish-white; jugulum, reddish-brown streaked with black; sides 
distinctly barred transversely with fine lines of black. Feathers 
anterior to wing white, margined with black. White of wing 
crossed by two bars of black. 
Length, 23.25; wing, 8.60; tarsus, 1.80; commissure, 2.75. 
Habitat, Northern North America. 
LOPHODYTES CUCULLATUS (1). (181.) 
HOODED MERGANSER. 
Undisturbed in the quiet solitudes of its favorite feeding 
places, especially during the mating season when the time is 
more devoted to courting, the male of this species of ducks has 
no peer for regal beauty in its family except the always to be 
excepted male Wood Duck, (Aix sponsa). It is a permanent 
resident, finding open water enough through the severest 
winters to make its supply of fish-food possible. On the 
coldest days I have many times observed it feeding in the 
rapids at the foot of the falls of St. Anthony. At such times 
