1 68 ANATID.fC. 



THE GOOSANDER. 



Dun Diver (females aud young males). 



Mergus merganser, Linn. 

 Mergiis castor, Linn, (females and young males). 



Is probably an annual winter visitant, but in very limited 

 numbers, and cliiefly to fresh-water. 



Mr. Templeton made a drawing of an adult male in full plumage, 

 which he saw in the museum of the Eoyal Dublin Society, and 

 was told had been shot at Wexford. In his journal, one is noticed 

 as having been sent to him in March 1808 by Mr. James Eoss of 

 Comber House, county Londonderry, and of another (" Mergus 

 castor") seen in Belfast market on the 7th of November, 1808. 



My own notes and those of my correspondents on the species are as 

 follow : — In the year 1833, a person to whom it was well known told 

 me that, a few years before that time, he had seen two of these birds 

 in full plumage in Belfast market : they had been only wounded, 

 and bit wdckedly at the tame ducks placed in the same basket 

 with them for sale. 



Dec. 30, 1836. — I purchased a fresh specimen, which was shot 

 about the western shore of Lough Neagh. 



Its weight was 3 lbs, 3 oz. Leugth 26^ iuclies. Bill, from forehead to point, 2^ ; 

 to posterior extremity, Sf ; to rictus 3^ inches. Tarsus 2^^ inches. Cai-pus to end 

 of wing 11 inches. The throat being thickly spotted with black, and other charac- 

 ters, indicate its being a young male of the second year (according to Jenyus' 

 description). Upper mandible pinkish-red on sides, blackish horn- colour on ridge; 

 nail of both mandibles black on the posterior, white on the anterior half. Under 

 mandible, excepting a few irregular markings of black, wholly of a pinkish-red 

 colour. Tarsi and toes bright orange ; webs orange, shaded with brown. Irides 

 deep golden yellow. 



On dissection, it exhibited a young pike [Esox lucms), 8-i- inches 

 long, and quite perfect, except the lower jaw (which the gastric 

 juice had acted upon) ; the posterior portion of another pike 

 of ecpial size, and that of a third which had been considerably 



