690 



as far down as Amoy in the winter. In the markets of Tientsin, he says (P. Z. S. 1863, p. 323), 

 it is abundant, and he believes that it remains over the summer in the large marshes in that 

 vicinity. Messrs. Temminck and Schlegel also record it from Japan, which country it is said to 

 visit during passage. In the Nearctic Region it is very generally distributed throughout North 

 America, breeding in the northern portions, and straggling in the winter season as far south as 

 Texas. It is stated to be generally distributed in the fur-countries. I frequently met with it in 

 New Brunswick, where it breeds ; but I do not find any data to show how far south its breeding- 

 range extends. In the winter it is found at least as far south as Texas ; for when there I 

 received specimens from Fort Stockton ; and Dr. Finsch states (Abh. naturw. Ver. Brem. iii. 

 p. 72) that it ranges as far south as Mexico. It extends right across the continent to the 

 Pacific, and has been obtained in California. Lockhart obtained it at Fort Yukon ; Bischoff 

 procured it at Sitka ; and Dall records it from the Aleutian Islands. The American Goosander 

 was separated by Cassin (I. c.) from our European bird as being specifically distinct; but later 

 authors do not treat it as separable : and in this latter view I fully concur ; for I have carefully 

 compared examples from both continents, and can trace no difference whatever. 



In its habits the Goosander differs but little from the Red-breasted Merganser. Like that 

 species it feeds almost entirely on fish, which it catches with great skill, and is an excellent 

 diver, remaining often for some time under the surface of the water, and moving about at some 

 depth with ease and considerable swiftness. I have often watched Goosanders fishing in the 

 Gulf of Bothnia and the lakes in Northern Finland, as well as in New Brunswick, and have 

 observed that they remain under water as long as the Golden-eye. Those I have dissected had 

 been feeding entirely on fish ; but it also feeds on various kinds of water-insects and larvae, and 

 it is stated to eat frogs. I have never seen it fishing in company forming a half-circle and 

 driving the fish in a small bay or inlet ; but it is said to do so. Its flight is somewhat heavy and 

 not very swift, but direct ; and it frequently flies at a considerable height. It does not seem to 

 rise from the surface of the water with ease, but flaps along the surface for a short distance 

 before rising into the air. Its cry is loud and harsh, and is most frequently heard when the 

 bird rises on the wing. It appears, as a rule, to prefer the fresh water to the sea-coast, and is 

 more frequently met with on inland water, especially during the breeding-season. It breeds 

 late in April or early in May, and makes its nest in the vicinity of water, either on the ground 

 or else it uses the hollow of a tree, the latter being, so far as I know, the usual place selected 

 by this species for the purposes of nidification ; and it frequently deposits its eggs in the nest- 

 boxes hung up by the peasantry in the north of Scandinavia and Russia. When at Uleaborg, 

 however, I obtained eggs from nests on the ground, in a hollow scratched out and filled with 

 down. When it nests in a tree it frequently makes use of a suitable hollow at some altitude 

 from the ground, and fills it with a considerable quantity of down, on which the eggs are 

 deposited. When the young are hatched they are carefully carried by the female bird in her 

 bill down to the water ; and these young birds are able at once to swim, and even dive, with ease. 

 Mr. Benzon, who informs me that in Denmark it nests in hollow trees near fresh water, writes as 

 follows : — " It makes a bed for its eggs of a large quantity of greyish white down, amongst which 

 are occasionally found husks of the buds of Fagus sylvestris ; and the eggs are usually deposited 

 late in April or early in May, the number being from eight to twelve. In colour they are warm 



