BUFF-BREASTED MERGANSER. 393 



half of neck grjeenish-black, splendent, with bright green reflections; hind 

 part of the neck below white; fore part of neck and all the under parts of a 

 delicate reddish-buff; the sides of the rump and part of the abdomen greyish- 

 white, finely undulated and dotted with dark grey; some of the lower wing- 

 coverts dia-sky, the larger coverts and primaries light grey. The fore part of 

 the back, and the inner scapulars, glossy black; the hind part ash-grey, 

 becoming lighter and finally undulated on the rump. Upper tail-coverts and 

 tail-feathers deep grey, outer scapulars white; a transverse band of black at 

 the base of the wing, concealed by the scapulars. Wing-coverts white; 

 alula, primary coverts, primary quills, and a band formed by the base of the 

 first row of large coverts, black; secondaries white, six of them margined 

 externally with a black line, the innermost margined on both webs, but more 

 broadly on the inner, and with the tip black. 



Length to end of tail 27 inches, to end of claws 26^, to end of wings 24, 

 to carpal joint 13f, to end of green on the neck 1\; extent of wings 36; bill 

 along the ridge 2 T 8 2, along the edge of lower mandible 3^; wing from flexure 

 Hi?; tail 5; tarsus 1™|; first toe and claw |f; outer toe 2yf, its claw f|; 

 middle toe 2 T 8 2, its claw T %. Weight 5 lbs. 



Dimensions of two other Males: 

 Length to end of tail, 



claws, 



wings, 



Extent of wings, . . . 38 35 



Female. 



The female is much smaller. The bill, eyes, and feet are coloured as in 

 the male, but the ridge of the bill is black, and the nail whitish; the 

 longitudinal crest is much more elongated, being composed of linear feathers, 

 some of them fully two inches and a half long. Head and upper part of 

 neck brownish-red; throat white; all the upper parts, with the sides of the 

 body and rump deep ash-grey, the feathers paler at the margin. Smaller 

 wing-coverts and inner secondaries grey; bases and tips of secondary coverts 

 black, the . intermediate part white; middle secondaries white, outer and 

 primaries black; anterior part of neck below faintly banded with ash-grey; 

 breast and abdomen white, slightly tinged with buff. 



Length to end of tail 24 inches, to end of claws 23|^, to end of wings 20|; 

 extent of wings 34; bill along the ridge \\\, along the edge of lower 

 mandible 2\; wing from flexure 10 J; tail 4^; tarsus l T 9 j; hind toe and claw 

 ||j middle toe 2 T \, its claw ^\ outer toe 2^, its claw -^. 



The young males after the autumnal moult, and until the middle of 

 i -miner, resemble the females. 

 . An adult male obtained near Boston examined. The heart is 2 inches 



Vol. VI. 54 



Of another 3f lbs. 



26 



25^- inches, 



27 



25 



24 



23£ 



