92 RED-BREASTED MERGANSER. 



Bill dusky, lower mandible yellow toward the base. Feet and 

 claws reddish-brown. The upper part and sides of the head are deep 

 black, with three bands of white on each side, one extending from the 

 base of the upper mandible, over the eye, and along the side of the 

 neck : another passing under the eye and over the ear ; the third border- 

 ing the throat. There is also a brownish-white patch on the nape. A 

 band across the hind neck and fore part of the back, and all the lower 

 parts buffy-orange. The feathers on the upper parts of the body, 

 blackish-brown, edged with light brown ; the quills, and their coverts 

 brownish-black, edged with pale brownish-red ; the first row of large 

 coverts black, margined with white, the next two rows white, the rest of 

 the small coverts brownish-black. The tail-feathers are brownish-black, 

 margined with pale greyish-brown, excepting the two outer on each 

 side, which are white, margined externally towards the tips, and along 

 the inner webs, with brown. 



Length to end of tail Gj^j inches ; bill along the ridge ^ ; wing 

 from flexure 3^ ; tail 2 j ; tarsus ^"J ; hind toe ^, its claw 1:^2 ; middle toe 

 /j, its claw /j. 



RED-BREASTED MERGANSER. 



Mergus serrator, Linn. 



PLATE CCCCI. Male and Female. 



The range of the Red-breasted Merganser is of vast extent. In 

 North America I have found it pretty generally dispersed during win- 

 ter and even to a late period in spring, from the Texas to Labrador ; 

 and in the Fauna Boreali- Americana Mr Swainson describes a male 

 killed on the Saskatchewan. No date is mentioned, nor is any 

 thing said as to its habits, which would lead me to believe that it 

 must be a rare bird in the Fur Countries. It is found on the western 

 coast however, and has been shot not far from the mouth of the Columbia 

 River by a gentleman of Boston engaged in the fur-trade, and who is 

 well acquainted with the water-birds of our country. In winter it is 

 to be met with throughout the Union, on almost every unfrozen stream ; 



