230 AJSATID^. 



secTindariis albis, interioribna anguste nigro limbatis ; rectricibus grisescenti-brunneis ; pUeo cristato, 

 cum nucha, facie laterali et gutture toto nigris viridi nitentibus ; corpore reliquo subtus pure albo ; 

 axillaribus et subalaribus albis, his marginalibus griseo-brunneis : rostro miniato, culmine et apice nigris ; 

 pedibus coccineis ; iride coccinea. Long, tota circa 25-0, alee 10-0, caudse 4-6, culm. 2-15, tarsi 2-0. 

 (Descr. maris adulti ex Vancouver Island. Mus. nostr.) 

 2 . Supra griseus, plumis medialiter fuscescentibus ; tectricibus alarum quoque griseis, majoribus albis ad 

 basin nigris ; remigibus sicut in mari coloratis, sed secundariis intimis griseis dorso concoloribus ; capite 

 cristato, facie laterali et collo superiore undique castaneis, pileo fnscescentiore ; genis anticis et gutture 

 superiore et mediano albidis ; corpore reliquo subtus albo, colli et pr^pectoris lateribus griseo marmoratis : 

 rostro et pedibus sicut in mari coloratis, sed sordidioribus. Long, tota circa 25-0, alee 100, caudse 4-6, 

 culm. 2-15, tarsi 2-0. (Descr. feminae adultse ex Vancouver Island. Mus. nostr.) 



Hab. NoKTH America generally. — Mexico, 1 Sonora {Robinette *). — Bermuda 3. 



The American Goosander, known also as the " Buff-breasted Sheldrake " of American 

 writers, is found over the whole continent of North America, breeding in Pennsylvania, 

 Colorado, California, &c., and ranging in winter to Mexico. Here it was met with by 

 Mr. Eobinette, probably in Sonora, but as the labels of his specimens have been lost, 

 the exact locality remains uncertain ^. 



M. americanus is an expert diver and feeds almost entirely on fish. When on 

 migration, the Goosander assembles in large flocks, both in autumn and spring, and 

 as it visits the Pacific coast as far as Southern California it is quite possible that the 

 species will be found off the coast of Western Mexico. 



The Red-breasted Merganser {M. serrator) may also occur in winter on the coasts 

 of Central America ; and as the females of the two species are similar in colour, it may 

 be well to mention that the last-named bird is smaller than the Goosander, as pointed 

 out by Mr. Eidgway ; M. serrator may further be distinguished by the position of the 

 nostril, which is situated near the base, and not in the middle, of the maxilla. 



LOPHODYTES. 



Lophodytes, Reichenb. Av. Syst. Nat. p. ix (1852) ; Salvad. Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. xxvii. p. 468 

 (1895). 



The long, compressed, subcylindrical bill serves to distinguish this genus from all 

 the Ducks previously mentioned ; and the short blunt serration of both mandibles 

 also separates it from Merganser. The tail and the tarsus are proportionately longer 

 than in the last-named genus, and the form of the crest is quite different from that of 

 the Mergansers, being much more full and forming a kind of hood. 



Only one species is known, L. cucullatus, which breeds in the Arctic regions of 

 America and comes south in winter, when it has been known to occur in Mexico. 

 It wanders occasionally to Europe. 



1. Lophodytes cucuUatus. 



Me^gus cucullatus, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 207'; Scl. & Salv. P. Z. S. 1876, p. 409"; Sumichr. 

 La Nat. V. p. 234'. 



