36 BIRDS OF OHIO. 



This "Fish Duck" is not only less common than the pre- 

 ceding species, but is even rare over most of the state. It is 

 seldom seen during the winter months, but must still be con- 

 sidered a winter visitor as well as a rare migrant across the 

 state. Its occurrences are too few and too scattered to 

 assign migration dates. 



26. (131.) LopHODYTES cucuLLATus (Linn.). 270. 

 Hooded Merganser. 



Snyonyms: Mergus cucullatus. 



Saw-bill, Topknot, Hooded Sheldrake. 

 Kirtland, Ohio Geol. Surv., 1838, 166, 187. 



While this merganser is rather more numerous than 

 either of the larger species, it is only locally common in the 

 state as a migrant. There are no records of its breeding 

 within our borders. While the others are more frequently 

 seen on the lakes and larger streams, this is a river 

 duck as far as its habits and routes of migration are con- 

 cerned. I have never seen it except on the smaller streams 

 and ponds. It visits the Oberlin water-works reservoir 

 during the spring, with the hosts of other ducks, but always 

 keeps to itself while resting and feeding. The conspicuous 

 "hood" with the large white patch in its center, furnishes a 

 mark for certain identification of the breeding males. 



The Hooded Merganser passes Oberlin about the middle 

 of April. It is seldom seen during more than a week all 

 together. 



Subfamily Anatin^. River Ducks. 



This subfamily is represented by an even dozen species 

 and subspecies in Ohio, two of which are accidental in the 

 state. The River Ducks are dabblers in shallow water, 

 turning tail up and immersing only the head, neck, and fore 

 part of the body when feeding. It does not, therefore, 

 follow that they never dive, for they often do. The food 

 of this group is largely vegetable, both aquatic and non- 

 aquatic ; weed seeds comprise a good part. The flesh 



