298 



in winter in Western Texas. I met with it there on the Leona, Medina, and Nueces Rivers, but 

 nowhere common. 



It is a winter visitant also to the West Indies. Wedderburn and Hurdis record the 

 occurrence of a female on the 10th January, 1849, and of a young bird in December 1850 in 

 Bermuda, and ; according to Gundlach (J. f. O. 1875, p. 385), it is rather rare in Cuba in winter, 

 but is sometimes brought to the market in Havana. It is said to have occurred in Greenland, 

 but I do not find any authentic instance of its having been obtained there. 



In its general habits the Hooded Merganser reminded me much of our Red-breasted 

 Merganser, but I found it more shy and wary and it appeared to fly more swiftly. It is never 

 met with except on fresh water, and Nuttall also remarks that it prefers the fresh water, especially 

 in wooded localities, and only approaches the sea in winter when its favourite haunts are blocked 

 up with ice. Like the Smew it nests in hollow trees, and never, I believe, in other situations. 

 Messrs. Baird, Brewer, and Ridgway state (I. c.) that "it is found in the neighbourhood of 

 Calais, Me., where it spends the summer, and where it breeds in considerable numbers. 

 Mr. George A. Boardman informs me that he has repeatedly noticed it breeding in the 

 neighbourhood of the St. Croix River, where it always nests in the hollows of trees, lining 

 the cavity with fine dry grasses, leaves, and down ; the eggs are from five to eight in number. 



"Several years ago, Mr. Boardman's attention was called to a singular contest between a 

 female Wood-Duck and a female of the Hooded Merganser for the possession of a hollow tree. 

 The two birds had been observed for several days contesting for the nest, neither permitting the 

 other to remain in peaceful occupancy. The nest was found to contain eighteen fresh eggs, of 

 which about a third belonged to the Merganser ; and as the nest was lined with her own dark- 

 coloured down, it appeared probable that this bird was the rightful owner of the premises." 



I am indebted to my old friend Mr. George A. Boardman for a clutch of six eggs, together 

 with the down, taken by himself near Calais, Maine, on the 15th May, 1865, the nest being in a 

 hollow tree. The down is dull dark buffy grey in colour, and the eggs are remarkable as being 

 very round and having a very thick smooth shell. In colour they are creamy white, and measure 

 from 2-05 by 1-78 inch to 2T7 by 1-79. 



I am indebted to Mr. K, C. MTlwraith, of Hamilton, Ontario, for a male of this species, 

 which is by far the finest specimen I have ever seen. Unfortunately it was received just after 

 the Plate had been drawn, or I should have figured it. 



The specimens figured are those above described, and are in my own collection. 



In the preparation of the above article I have examined, besides the series in the British 

 Museum, the following specimens : — 



E Mm. H. E. Dresser. 



a, (J ad., b, ? ad. Calais, Maine, U.S. (G. A. Boardman). c, d, $ ad. Hamilton, Ontario, April 15th, 

 1888 {K. C. M'llwraith). e,pull. Calais, Maine (G. A. Boardman). 



E Mus. H. B. Tristram. 

 a, <$ > b, ? • Labrador, 1846; c, $ . N. America; d, ? . N. America [Lord Walsingham). 



