TION. 



212 GOOSANDER MERGANSER. Class IL 



are great divers, and live on fish. They are 

 never seen in the southern parts of Great Bri- 

 tain during summer, when they retire far north 

 to breed ; but in that season they have been shot 

 in the Hebrides. They are uncommonly rank, 

 and scarcely eatable. 

 Descrip- The male weighs four pounds ; its length is 

 two feet four inches ; the breadth three feet two. 

 The bill is three inches long, narrow^ and finely 

 toothed, or serrated ; the color of that, and the 

 irides, is red. The head is large, and the fea- 

 thers on the hind part long and loose ; the color 

 black, finely glossed with green ; the upper part 

 of the neck the same ; the lower part, and under 

 side of the body of a fine pale yellow^; the upper 

 part of the back, and inner scapulars are black ; 

 the lower part of the back, and the tail are ash 

 colored ; the tail consists of eighteen feathers ; 

 the greater quil feathers are black, the lesser 

 white, some of which are edged with black ; the 

 coverts at the setting on of the wing are black ; 

 the rest white ; the legs of a deep orange-CQlor„ 



