304 



KEY AND DESCMIPTION 



slightly crested, somewhat iridescent, grayish and slaty-brown 

 duck, with lower breast streaked with buff ; the throat is white 

 and there is a white stripe from the eye backward ; the head 

 is purplish-brown on the crown, and ashy-brown on the sides. 

 The forest-bordered fresh waters form the home for this bird, and 

 a hole in tree or stump its nesting quarters. (Summer Duck.) 



Length, 18J ; wing, 9 ; tail, 4J ; tarsus, If ; oulmen, If. Temperate 

 North America ; breeding from Florida to Hudson Bay, and wintering 

 from the Middle States to Mexico. 



FISH DUCKS (SUBFAMILY MERGfN^) 



Characteristics given on p. 2T8 

 Key to the Species 



* Wing, OJ-llJ long ; frontal feathers extending beyond those on the 



side of the bill 41. American Merganser. 



* Wing, 8J-9J long ; frontal feathers not extending beyond those on the 



side of the bill 42. Red-breasted Merganser. 



* Wing, 7-8^ long ; crest on head high and flattened sideways 



..43. Hooded Merganser. 



41. American Mer- 

 ganser (129. Mergdn- 

 ser americdbnus). — A 

 slightly crested, slen- 

 der-billed, dark-green- 

 headed, fish duck, 

 with the back and 

 wings black and 

 white, the tail gray, 

 and the under parts, 

 including breast, buffy 

 white. The female is 

 reddish-brown-headed, 

 gray-backed and whit- 

 ish - bellied, with a 

 white patch on throat, 

 and white speculum. 



American Merganser The head color BX- 



