LOPHODYTES. 89 
21.00-24.00, wing 9.60-9.75, culmen 1.80-2.00, tarsus 1.85-1.90, middle toe 
2.25-2.40. Eggs 2.63 x 1.82, ovate, or elliptical-ovate, pale buff, or buffy 
white. Hab. Whole of North America, breeding south to northern border 
of United States.. 129. M. americanus (Cass.). American Merganser. 
a, Distance between nostril and nearest feathering on sides of base of upper man- 
dible decidedly less than height of upper mandible at base; feathering on 
sides of base of upper mandible projecting far forward, and forming a very 
decided, though obtuse, angle. ; 
Adult male: Head dull greenish black, the occiput with a long pointed 
crest; neck and sides of chest dull brownish buff, or light cinnamon, 
streaked with black; other lower parts mainly white, usually tinged 
with cream- or salmon-color. Adult female: Very similar in coloration 
to the same sex of M. americanus, but smaller, and very readily distin- 
guishable by the different position of the nostrils, etc., as noted above. 
Downy young : Above hair-brown, the posterior border of each wing and 
a large spot on each side of the rump, yellowish white; lower parts, 
including cheeks, yellowish white; sides of head and neck rusty cinna- 
mon, paler on lores, which are bordered above by a dusky stripe, and 
beneath by a dark rictal stripe; lower eyelid whitish. Length about 
20.00-25.00, wing 8.60-9.00, culmen about 2.50, tarsus 1.80-1.90, middle 
toe 2.40. Eggs ovate or elliptical-ovate, 2.57 x 1.79, light olive-buff. 
Hab. Northern portion of northern hemisphere, breeding northward. 
130. M. serrator (Linn.). Red-breasted Merganser. 
Genus LOPHODYTES Rercuenpacu. (Page 84, pl. XXL, fig. 3.) 
Species. 
Adult male: Head (except crest), neck, and most of upper parts black; crest 
pure white with a sharply defined black border or rim; lower parts white, the 
sides of the chest crossed by two black erescentic bars (projected from the black 
of the back), the sides light cinnamon, finely waved with black. Adult female: 
Head (except crest), neck, chest, and upper parts grayish brown, darker above ; 
crest reddish hair-brown or dull cinnamon, smaller and of looser texture than in 
the male; chin and upper throat, belly, etc., white. Young: Similar to adult 
female, but crest rudimentary, the sides and under tail-coverts more distinctly 
brown. Downy young: Above deep hair-brown, darkest on back and rump; hinder 
border of arm-wing, a small spot on each side of back, and one on each side of 
rump, grayish white ; lower half of head brownish buff or light fulvous, paler on 
chin and throat; chest light dingy brownish, sides darker; belly white. Length 
about 17.25-19.25, wing 7.50-7.90, culmen 1.50. West in holes in trees, usually at 
a considerable height. Eggs 6-10, 2.09 x 1.75, broadly oval, white. Hab. North 
America in general; north to Alaska and (accidentally) Greenland; south to 
Mexico and Cuba; casual in Europe. 
131. L. cucullatus (Linn.). Hooded Merganser, 
12 
