296 ANATIDiE, MERGANSERS. GEN. 271-2. 



Obs. The smew, or white nun, Mergelliis albellus, of Europe, has been attributed 

 to N. Am. upon insufficient evidence, though very possibly occurring. Wils., viii, 

 12G, pi. 71, f. 4 ; NuTT., ii, 467 ; Aud., vi, 408, pi. 414 ; Bd., 817. 



271-2. Genus MERGUS Linnaeus. 

 * Bill not shorter than head, mostly red. {Merrjus.) 

 V Merganser. Goosander. Fish Buck. Nostrils nearly median; frontal 

 feathers reaching beyond those on sides of bill ; <J with the head scarcely 

 crested, glossy green ; back and wings black aad white, latter crossed by 

 one black bar; under parts salmon-colored; abont 24; wing 11 ; ? smaller; 

 occipital crest better developed, but still flimsy ; head and neck reddish- 

 brown ; black parts of the S ashy-gray ; less white on the wing ; under parts 

 less tinted with salmon. N. Am., common. WiLS., viii, 68, pi. 68, f. 1, 2 ; 

 Ndtt., ii, 460 ; Aud., vi, 387, pi. 411 ; 31. amerkanus Bd., 813. merganser. 



Red-breasted Mer- 

 ganser. Fish Duck. 

 Nostrils sub-basal ; 

 frontal feathers not 

 reaching beyond those 

 on sides of bill ; along 

 thin pointed crest in 

 both sexes. Smaller 

 than the last; wing 



Fig. l'J5. Red-breasted Merganser, with outline of bill fniui ;ibtj\'c. ^_Q . crenei'il oolor- 



' to 



ation, and sexual differences, the same, but the <J with the jugulum rich 

 reddish-brown, black-streaked, the sides conspicuously finely waved with 

 black, a white, black-boixlered mark in front of the wing, and the wing 

 crossed by two black bars. N. Am., abundant. Wils., viii, 91, pi. 69, f. 

 2; NuTT., ii, 463 ; Aud., vi, 395, pi. 412; Bd., 814. . . serrator. 

 ** Bill shorter than head, mostly or entirely black. {Lophodytes.') 

 y 1 L- Hooded Merganser. Nostrils sub-basal ; frontal feathers reaching beyond 

 those on sides of bill ; a compact, erect, semicircular, laterally compressed 

 crest in the $ , smaller and less rounded in the 9 ; g black, including two 

 crescents in front of wing, and bar across speculum ; under parts, centre of 

 crest, speculum, and stripes on tertials, white ; sides chestnut, black-barred ; 

 18-19 ; wing 8 ; ? smaller ; head and neck brown ; chin whitish ; back and 

 sides dark brown, the feathers with paler edges ; white on the wing less ; bill 

 reddish at base below. N. Am., common. Wils., viii, 79, pi. 69, f. 1 ; 

 NuTT., ii, 465; Aud., vi, 402, pi. 413; Bd., 816. . . . cucullatus. 



Order STEGANOPODES. Totipalmate Birds. 



Feet totipalmate, with three full webs ; hind toe semi-lateral, larger and lower 

 down than in other water birds, connected with the inner toe by a C07)iplete iveb 

 reaching from tip to tip. Nostrils minute, rudimentary or entirely abortive. A 

 gular pouch. Bill not membranous nor lamellate, but tomia sometimes serrate. 



i 



