﻿BIRDS 
  OF 
  NEW 
  YORK 
  1 
  79 
  

  

  Like 
  the 
  other 
  mergansers, 
  this 
  species 
  usually 
  splashes 
  on 
  the 
  water 
  

   with 
  its 
  feet 
  when 
  taking 
  wing, 
  but 
  is 
  a 
  strong 
  flier 
  when 
  fully 
  under 
  way. 
  

   Young 
  birds, 
  before 
  the 
  wing 
  feathers 
  are 
  grown, 
  will 
  flop 
  and 
  run 
  over 
  the 
  

   water 
  so 
  swiftly 
  that 
  two 
  men 
  in 
  a 
  canoe 
  will 
  scared}' 
  overtake 
  them, 
  

   and, 
  even 
  if 
  overtaken, 
  they 
  dive 
  so 
  experth' 
  that 
  it 
  is 
  almost 
  impossible 
  

   to 
  capture 
  them. 
  The 
  brood 
  remains 
  together 
  on 
  such 
  occasions 
  unless 
  

   too 
  closeh' 
  pursued, 
  when 
  they 
  suddenly 
  scatter 
  and 
  collect 
  again 
  after 
  the 
  

   danger 
  is 
  past. 
  The 
  mother 
  bird 
  is 
  deeply 
  concerned 
  for 
  the 
  welfare 
  of 
  

   her 
  }'oung 
  and 
  flies 
  ahead 
  whistling 
  and 
  calling 
  to 
  her 
  ducklings 
  with 
  every 
  

   evidence 
  of 
  distress. 
  

  

  This 
  bird 
  feeds 
  on 
  fish, 
  crayfish 
  and 
  other 
  aquatic 
  animals 
  wdiich 
  it 
  

   captures 
  by 
  diving, 
  an 
  occupation 
  to 
  which 
  its 
  long, 
  an-owlike 
  shape 
  and 
  

   broad, 
  strong 
  feet 
  are 
  peculiarh' 
  adapted. 
  On 
  one 
  occasion 
  I 
  fired 
  into 
  a 
  

   flock 
  of 
  Sawbills 
  at 
  close 
  range, 
  bringing 
  down 
  fotir 
  of 
  the 
  birds, 
  but 
  all 
  of 
  

   them 
  plunged 
  into 
  the 
  water 
  like 
  so 
  many 
  stones, 
  and 
  only 
  one 
  of 
  them 
  ever 
  

   so 
  much 
  as 
  gave 
  me 
  a 
  glimpse 
  of 
  himself 
  again. 
  

  

  The 
  nest 
  of 
  this 
  merganser 
  is 
  placed 
  in 
  an 
  old 
  stmnp, 
  or 
  a 
  hollow 
  tree 
  

   near 
  the 
  water, 
  and 
  is 
  made 
  of 
  grass 
  and 
  leaves, 
  lined 
  with 
  down. 
  The 
  

   eggs 
  are 
  from 
  6 
  to 
  ii 
  in 
  number, 
  of 
  a 
  creamy 
  buff 
  color, 
  and 
  measure 
  2.65 
  by 
  

   1.75 
  inches. 
  

  

  Mergus 
  serrator 
  Linnaeus 
  

   Red-breasted 
  Merganser 
  

  

  Plate 
  10 
  

  

  Mergus 
  serrator 
  Linnaeus. 
  Syst. 
  Nat. 
  Ed. 
  10. 
  1758. 
  1:129 
  

  

  DeKay. 
  Zool. 
  N. 
  Y. 
  1844. 
  pt 
  2, 
  p. 
  319, 
  fig. 
  266 
  

   Merganser 
  serrator. 
  A. 
  O. 
  U. 
  Check 
  List. 
  Ed. 
  2. 
  1895. 
  No. 
  130 
  

  

  serrd'tor, 
  Lat., 
  sawyer, 
  referring 
  to 
  the 
  sawbill 
  

  

  Description. 
  Male: 
  Head 
  and 
  upper 
  neck 
  dark 
  glossy 
  green 
  ; 
  occipital 
  

   crest 
  long, 
  pointed 
  and 
  double; 
  a 
  white 
  collar 
  nearly 
  surrounds 
  the 
  lower 
  

   neck; 
  back 
  and 
  inner 
  scapulars 
  black; 
  outer 
  scapulars 
  and 
  mirror 
  white 
  

   with 
  black; 
  rump 
  and 
  flanks 
  with 
  gray 
  vermiculations 
  ; 
  elongated 
  feathers 
  

   in 
  front 
  of 
  wing 
  black 
  and 
  white 
  ; 
  upper 
  breast 
  and 
  sides 
  of 
  lower 
  neck 
  pale 
  

   chestnut, 
  dashed 
  with 
  blackish; 
  breast 
  and 
  belly 
  white 
  usually 
  tinged 
  with 
  

   salmon 
  color; 
  sides 
  with 
  wavy 
  grayish 
  vermiculations; 
  bill 
  and 
  iris 
  red> 
  

  

  