68 GAME BIRDS, WILD-FOWL AND SHORE BIRDS. 



Notes. — A hoarse croak, like a small edition of that of the Red-breasted 

 Merganser (Elliot). 



Nest. — In hollow tree, of grass, leaves and feathers. 



Eggs. — About six, ivory white, 2.05 by 1.70. 



Season. ■ — Rather uncommon or rare migrant; March, October and No- 

 vember; rare in winter. 



Range. — North America. Breeds from central British Columbia and New- 

 foundland south to southern Oregon, southern Louisiana and central 

 Florida; winters from southern British Columbia and Massachusetts 

 south to Lower California, the Gulf States and Cuba. Recorded from 

 Mexico, St. Michael, Alaska, Europe and Bermuda. 



History. 



The Hooded Merganser was formerly very common in 

 portions of New England. I believe that it is slowly vanish- 

 ing from the east. It probably bred formerly throughout a 

 considerable part of the Atlantic seaboard, but the cutting 

 down of the primeval forest and unrestricted shooting have 

 destroyed its nesting places and depleted its numbers. Like 

 the Wood Duck, it frequents small ponds and woodland 

 streams, where it is exposed to the gunner at all times. It 

 bred and perhaps still breeds in Florida (G. B. Grinnell). 

 It has been known to breed in Georgia (Wayne), and in South 

 Carolina, Kentucky and Ohio (Audubon). Stone regards it 

 as apparently much more plentiful formerly than now in New 

 Jersey. It has been found breeding in New York, not only 

 in the northern highlands, but in several counties (Eaton). 

 Boardman found it breeding abundantly in Maine, but now 

 Knight lists it as a rare breeder. It seems probable that it 

 once bred in Massachusetts, but there is no record, although 

 it has been noted here in summer. 



My correspondents in 1908 did not report this bird from 

 Berkshire or Franklin County. From the other counties ten 

 report an increase and thirty-one a decrease. It is not noted 

 as common anywhere, except in northern Essex County, where 

 Mr. E. W. Eaton of Newburyport reports it as not uncommon 

 in Hampton River near the New Hampshire boundary, and 

 Dr. John C. PhiUips sees it not uncommonly in Wenham Lake, 

 in the towns of Beverly and Wenham, where he records the 

 capture of forty-four birds in ten years (only one of which was 



