THE RED-BREASTED MERGANSER. 621 



lowed an entire sucker, the head of which had been partially digested, leaving 

 a portion still seven inches long to protrude into the bird's mouth. 



Like the Golden-eyes and some other ducks, this bird usually occupies a 

 hollow tree or stub for a nesting site. The cavity is warmly lined with weeds, 

 grasses and rootlets, and plentifully supplied with down from the bird's 

 breast. The eggs are of a clear creamy, or dull buffy tint, and have the 

 "hard-oil-finish" characteristic of all ducks' eggs. 



The young when hatched require to be transported to the water in the 

 maternal beak — a rather trying ordeal, we must presume. 



No. 308. 



RED-BREASTED MERGANSER. 



A. O. U. No. 130. Merganser serrator (Linn.). 



Synonyms. — Red-brbasted Sheledrake ; Shelldrake; Saw-bii,i,. 



Description. — Adult male : Head all around black, with a greenish gloss 

 on sides above; a loose crest from crown to nape; middle of neck all around 

 white; lower neck all around (narrowly and impurely behind) and fore-breast, 

 cinnamon-rufous streaked with black; sides of breast, upper back, and inner 

 scapulars black; a tuft of enlarged feathers on sides of breast before wing, each 

 feather white, bordered completely with black; wing-coverts, outer scapulars, 

 speculum, and inner secondaries white, the latter black-edged ; two narrow trans- 

 verse black bars formed by exposed bases of greater coverts and secondaries ; 

 primary-coverts, outer secondaries, and primaries blackish ; sides and around 

 on rump heavily wavy-barred, black and white ; lower back and tail ashy gray, more 

 or less speckled or wavy-barred on tips with black and whitish ; lower breast, belly, 

 and crissum white, usually tinged with pale salmon or cream color ; bill narrower 

 than in preceding species ; bill and feet bright red, the former with dusky ridge ; 

 eyes carmine. Adult female and immature : Similar to those of preceding species, 

 but head duller, grayish chestnut; white of wing without black bars; position of 

 nostrils distinctive; bill and feet duller-colored. Length 20.00-25.00 (508.-635.) ; 

 wing 9.60 (243.8) ; tail 3.25 (82.6) ; bill 2.20 (55.9) ; bill from nostril 1.75 (44.5) ; 

 tarsus 1.75 (44.5). Female somewhat smaller than male. 



Recognition Marks.— Mallard size ; narrow serrated bill ; head loosely 

 crested ; reddish of breast and sides wavy-barred black and white, specifically dis- 

 tinctive for male. Females of this species cannot be told out of hand from those 

 of M. americanus. In hand the nostril within basal third of bill (as distinguished 

 from nostril just within basal half for M. americanus) is diagnostic. River divers. 



Nesting. — Not known to breed in Ohio. Nest, on the ground among brush- 

 wood, rocks, and the like, near water; lined with leaves, mosses, and feathers. 

 Eggs, 6-12, creamy buflf or dull buffy green. Av. size, 2.56 x 1.76 (65. x 44.7). 



General Range. — Northern portions of the northem hemisphere; south in 

 winter throughout the United States. 



