68<J 



(Ibis, 1870, p. 340) that it is not uncommon in Turkey, and is occasionally found on the 

 Bosphorus during winter. 



In Southern Russia it is of rare occurrence, and, Professor von Nordmann states, is only 

 found in the districts bordering the Black Sea during severe weather. I do not find it recorded 

 from Asia Minor ; and Canon Tristram does not appear to have met with it in Palestine. It has 

 not been met with in North-east Africa, but has been, though rarely, in North-west Africa. 

 Loche states that it only visits Algeria during the most severe winters ; and Colonel Irby writes 

 (Orn. Str. Gibr. p. 206) as follows : — " The Goosander is recorded by Favier as having been once 

 obtained by him near Tangier in October 1862. I saw another, which had been found dead on 

 the shore near that town, during the winter of 1869-70, the only instance in which I met with 

 the species." 



To the eastward the Goosander occurs across Asia to Japan. Mr. Blanford did not, however, 

 meet with it in Persia ; but Dr. Jerdon writes (B. of India, ii. p. 818) that in India it is chiefly 

 met with " on rivers within the Himalayas in small parties. I have frequently seen it on the 

 Great Kungeet, in Sikkim, and also in rivers in Kumaon, and on the Ganges at Hurdwar. 

 One instance only is recorded of its occurrence in Central India, it having been procured by 

 Tickell at Chyebassa. Captain Smyth recently gave me two very large concretions found in one 

 of these birds, but I have not yet had them examined." Mr. A. O. Hume writes (Stray Feathers, 

 i. p. 423) as follows: — "Amongst a collection of birds recently sent me by my kind friend 

 Mr. F. R. Blewitt, I was surprised to find no less than nine specimens of M. merganser, which 

 he had shot in the Mahanuddee, in the Sumbhulpoor district of the Central Provinces. Years 

 ago Colonel Tickell procured a single specimen at Chyebassa ; but with this exception the 

 Merganser has never hitherto been observed many miles out of the Himalayas, or in any but 

 rivers running through these mountains." Dr. Henderson met with it on his journey from 

 Lahore to Yarkand, and writes (Lahore to Yark. p. 297) as follows: — "A young half-fledged 

 Merganser was caught in the Indus near Le, in July 1870. It was kept alive for some days;" 

 to which Mr. A. O. Hume adds the following note : — " The bird probably breeds in Ladak, both 

 in the valley of the Indus and the Shyok, as it does in almost all our Northern Indian rivers, 

 high up in the Himalayas, and more or less near their sources. As the winter comes on they 

 drop down stream, and are to be found during the cold season in small parties in almost every 

 large stream that debouches from the Himalayas, just where it leaves the hills." Severtzoff says 

 (Turk. Jevotnie, p. 70) that it is found throughout Turkestan, and breeds throughout the eastern 

 portion of the country, being also met with during winter. He met with it at this latter season 

 on the lakes in the mountains to an altitude of about 4000 feet, and found it breeding as high 

 as about 8500 feet above the sea-level. The Siberian travellers all met with it ; Von Middendorff 

 obtained it in the Stanowoi Mountains; Dr. Eadde, who says that it was much rarer than 

 Mergus serrator, saw it on several occasions in the Irkutsk market ; and Von Schrenck states 

 that it is not rare in the Amoor country. He observed it first on open places on the Amoor and 

 Patcha on the 5th May, and was assured by the natives that it often remains throughout the 

 winter on the Tymy river, though it not unfrequently happens that the mercury freezes there. 

 Dr. Dybowski states that he found it not uncommon in Darasun ; Pere David says that it is 

 common in Mongolia ; and Mr. Swinhoe speaks of it as found throughout China, and occurring 



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