MERGANSERS. 99 



it will readily pass underneath it. It swims so deeply as to afford the 

 gunner but a small mark, and dives so quickly at the snap or flash of 

 his gun that he stands but a small chance of killing it. 



" On being surprised the Goosander may rise directly out of the 

 water, but more commonly pats the surface with his feet for some 

 yards and then rises to windward. A whole flock thus rising from 

 some foaming current affords a spirited scene. Once on the wing, the 

 flight is straight, strong, and rapid " (Langille). 



130. Merganser serrator {Linn.). Eed-beeasted Meegansee; 

 Shelldeake. Ad. S . — Whole head and throat black, more greenish above ; 

 a white ring around the neck; a broad cinnamon-rufous band with black 

 streahs on the upper breast and sides of the lower neek ; lesser wing-ooverts, 

 tips of greater ones, secondaries, breast, and belly white ; rump and sides 

 finely barred with black and white. Ad. 9 and Im. — Top and back of head 

 grayi-sh brown washed with cinnamou-rufous ; sides of the head and tliroat 

 cinnamon-rufous, paler on the throat ; rest of under parts white ; back and 

 tail ashy gray; speculum white. L., 22-00; W., 9-00; Tar., 1-70; B. from 

 N., 1-80. 



Eemarhs. — Adults of this and the preceding species may alway.s be dis- 

 tinguished by the color of the breast ; females and young, by the differently 

 colored heads, while the position of the nostril is always diagnostic. 



Range. — Northern parts of the northern hemisphere; in America breeds 

 from northern Illinois and New Brunswick northward to the arctic regions; 

 winters from near the southern limits of its breeding range southward to Cuba. 



Washington, uncommon W. V. Long Island, abundant T. V., Mch. 1 to 

 May 1; Oct. 15 to Dec. 1, a few winter. Sing Sing, common T. V., Deo. to 

 Apl. 30. Cambridge, casual, one instance, Oct. 



A'as<, of leaves, grasses, mosses, etc., Hned with down, on the ground near 

 water, among rocks or scrubby bushes. Eggs, six to twelve, creamy buif, 

 2-55 X 1-75. 



This is a more common species than the preceding, which it resem- 

 bles in habits. Its note is described as a " croak." 



131. Iiophodytes cucullatus (i>sn».). Hooded Mergansee. Ad. i. 

 —Front part of large circular crest black ; remaining part white, bordered by 

 black ; rest of head, the neck, and back black ; breast and belly white ; sides 

 cinnamon-rufous, finely barred with black. Ad. 9 .—Upper throat white ; head, 

 neck, and upper breast grayish brown, more or less tinged with cinnamon, 

 especially on the small crest ; lower brea.st and belly white ; sides grayish 

 brown ; back fuscous, /m.— Similar, but with no crest. L., 17'50 ; W., 7-50 ; 

 Tar., 1-10; B., 1-45. 



i?on.^«.— North America generally, south in winter to Cuba and Mexico ; 

 breeds locally throughout its North American range. 



Washington, uncommon W. V. Long Island, uncommon T. V., rare W. V:, 

 Nov. to May. Sing Sing, rare T. V., Moh. Cambridge, formerly common T. 

 v., Oct. to Deo. 



