GOOSANDER. 267 
Mercus Mereanser, Linn. Syst. Nat. vol. i. 208.—Lath. Ind. Ornith. vol. ii. p. 828. 
—Oh. Bonaparte, Synopsis of Birds of United States, p. 397. 
GoosanDER, Mercus Mereanser, Wils. Amer. Ornith. vol. viii. p. 68, pl. 68, fig. 1 
Male, and fig. 2. Female.—Richards. and Swains. Fauna ‘Bor.-Amer. vol. ii. 
p. 461.—Wuttall, Manual, vol. ii. p. 460. 
Adult Male. Plate CCCXXXI. Fig. 1. 
Bill about the length of the head, straight, strong, tapering, higher 
than broad at the base, nearly cylindrical toward the end. Upper 
mandible with the dorsal outline sloping gently to the middle, then 
straight, along the unguis suddenly decurved ; the ridge broad at the 
base, then convex ; the sides sloping rapidly at the base, convex to- 
ward the end; the edges serrated beneath ; the unguis oblong, much 
curved, abruptly rounded at the end. Nasal groove elongated ; nos- 
trils submedial, linear, direct, pervious. Lower mandible with the 
angle very narrow, and extended to the unguis, which is obovate ; the 
sides nearly erect in their outer half, with a long narrow groove, the 
edges serrate within. 
Head rather large, compressed, oblong. Neck rather short, thick. 
Body full, depressed. Feet placed far behind, short, stout ; tibia bare 
for about a quarter of an inch; tarsus very short, compressed, ante- 
riorly covered with small scutella, and another row on the lower half 
externally, the sides reticulate. Hind toe very small, with an inferior 
free membrane ; anterior toes half as long again as the tarsus; second 
shorter than fourth, which is almost as long as the third, all connected 
by reticulated webs, which are deeply concave ; the outer toe slightly 
margined, the inner with a broad marginal membrane. Claws rather 
small, moderately arched, compressed, acute, that of the middle toe with 
a thin inner edge. 
Plumage moderately full, dense, soft, glossy. Feathers of the head 
and neck silky, blended, elongated along the median line, so as to form 
a not conspicuous crest; of the back rather compact; of the lower 
parts blended. Wings short, of moderate breadth, convex, acute ; pri- 
maries narrow, tapering, the first scarcely shorter than the second, the 
rest rapidly graduated ; secondaries rather short, narrow, rounded, the 
inner elongated and tapering. Tail short, much rounded, of eighteen 
rather narrow rounded feathers. 
Bill bright vermilion, with the unguis black. Iris carmine. Feet 
orange-red in winter, bright vermilion in the breeding season. Head 
* 
