302 AMERICAN GAME BIRD SHOOTING. 
bill that is tipped with orange. The wings have a patch 
of white; the iris is white, and there is a spot under the 
eye. The female is sooty-black, and has the white 
patches on the wing. 
The surf duck, or sea coot (Gdemia perspicillata), is 
common on the Atlantic Coast, its place on the Pacific 
being occupied by the Trowbridge variety, which differs 
from it a little in markings. Both have a bill which is 
much swollen at the sides, as well as at the base of the 
upper mandible. This bill is orange-red in color, and 
white at the sides, except where it is broken by a black 
circular spot at the base below. The male is black, but 
has a white patch on the forehead and the top of the 
head. The female is darkish-brown, and has white 
patches before and behind the eye. Large numbers of 
these birds are shot from boats by some sportsmen on the 
Atlantic Coast, when they commence their southern mi- 
grations in autumn. They arrive from the north in 
flocks which might be estimated at thousands, and from 
that time forth they are lawful prey to all who wish to 
waste ammunition on them, for their flesh is neither ten- 
der nor palatable. 
The mergansers, which are distinguished from all their 
kindred by having a round, toothed-bill, instead of a flat 
one, are very common all over the Continent. 
The goosander, or fish duck (Mergus merganser), has a 
green, puffy head; the back and wings are black and white, 
and the under parts are salmon-colored. The upper parts 
of the female are gray, mixed with some white; the neck 
and head are reddish-brown, and she has a small crest. 
The sheldrake, or red-breasted merganser (I. serrator), 
approaches the preceding in general color, but the breast 
is reddish, streaked with black; the sides are undulated 
with black; the wings are crossed by two black bars, and 
have a whitish mark in front of them. Both sexes have 
a slight crest, and are smaller than the goosanders. 
