MEKGANSER SERRATOR. 281 



(45) MERGANSER SERRATOR. 

 THE EED-BEEASTED MEEGANSEE. 



Mergus servator, Hume c^- Mar. Gcane-B. iii, p. 305; Hume, Str. Feath. ix, 



p. 26S ; Barnes, B. of Bom. p. 41G, 

 Mergus castor, Hume, Str. Feath. iv, ]>. 496 ; Butler, ibid, v, pp. 291, 323. 

 Merganser serrator, Salvadori, Cat. B. J/. xx\ ii, p. 479 ; Blavford, Fauna 



B. I. iv, p. 47U ; Oates, Game-B. ii, p. 124 ; Nurse, Jour. B. N. H. S. xiv, 



p. 400 ; Oates, Game-B. ii, p. 402. 



DescrijJtion. Adult male. — Whole head, crest, and a uarrow line down 

 the nape of the ueck black, the posterior part of the head and the crest glossed 

 green ; neck white ; back black ; lower back, rump, and upper tail-coverts white 

 and very dark brown in fine wavy lines, the bases of tlie feathers on the lo^er 

 back brown and showing a good deal ; tail dark grey, edged paler. The primaries, 

 three outer and innermost secondaries dark brown, the next white with black 

 bases, and from these to the longest white with narroAv black margins ; greater 

 and median coverts white ; edge of the wing and smaller coverts brown ; breast 

 i-ather rich rufous-brown, the feathers more or less centred black ; the sides of 

 the breast under the shoulder of the wing black, with a patch of feathers white, 

 merely margined with black ; outer scapulars white, inner black. 



Males.—" Length 24-0 to 26-0 inches, expanse 29-0 to 32-5, wing 9-0 to 10-0, 

 tail from insertion of feathers 3-1 to 4-2, tarsus 1-8 to 2-05, bill at front along 

 culmen 2*4 to 2*5. Weight {Naumann) a little over 2 lbs. 



" In the male the bill varies from orange-red to deep vermilion, is more or 

 less dusky on the ridge, and has the nail varying from pale yellowish-grey to 

 almost black ; the feet vary similarly to the bill, and are brighter externally, paler 

 internally, and duller on the webs ; the claws are light grey, duller, and browner 

 or redder, towards their bases." {Hume.) 



The above dimensions and colours of the soft parts are compiled by Hume 

 from different authors. 



Salvadori gives the total length as 21 inches, and the culmen 2-15, whilst he 

 states the tarsus to be only 1-5. 



Blanford gives the bill from gape as 2*75 inches. 



Adult female. — Lores and upper part of head and neck pale rufescent-grey, 

 A\ith darker centres to the feathers ; a faint supercilium dull rufescent-white ; a 

 dark eye-streak like the lores; ciiin and thi'oat rufescent-white ; remainder of 

 head and neck dull rufous ; upper parts ashy-brown, most of the feathers edged 

 paler ; lower parts white ; flanks mottled brown and white ; primaries and 

 innermost secondaries dark brown ; outer secondaries and their coverts white, 

 the latter with brown bases ; remainder of wing-coverts ashy-brown ; under 

 wing-toverts grey and white. 



