398 RED-BREASTED MERGANSER. 



From Texas westward to the Columbia river and northward. Common 

 during autumn and spring. Also throughout the United States, and along 

 the Atlantic shores. Breeds from New York to Labrador and the Fur 

 Countries, as well as along the Great Lakes, and on the Rocky Mountains. 



Adult Male. 



Bill about the length of the head, straight, strong, tapering, higher than 

 broad at the base, nearly cylindrical toward the end. Upper mandible with 

 the dorsal outline sloping gently to the middle, then straight, along the unguis 

 suddenly decurved; the ridge flattened at the base, and gradually becoming 

 convex; the sides sloping rapidly at the base, convex toward the end, the 

 edges serrated beneath; the unguis oblong, much curved, abruptly rounded 

 at the end. Nasal groove elongated; nostrils sub-basal, linear, direct, 

 pervious. Lower mandible with the angle very narrow, and extended to 

 the unguis, which is obovate; the sides nearly erect in their outer half, with 

 a long narrow groove, the edges serrate within. 



Head rather large, compressed, oblong. Neck rather long and somewhat 

 slender. Body full, depressed. Feet placed far behind, short, stout; tibia 

 bare for about a quarter of an inch; tarsus very short, compressed, anteriorly 

 covered with small scutella, and another row on the lower half externally, 

 the sides reticulated, the hind part thin edged. Hind toe very small, with 

 an inferior free membrane; anterior toes half as long again as the tarsus; 

 second shorter than fourth, which is almost as long as the third, all connected 

 by reticulated webs, which are deeply concave at the margin; the outer toe 

 slightly margined, the inner with a broad marginal membrane. Claws 

 rather small, very slightly arched, compressed, acute, that of the middle toe 

 with a thin inner edge. 



Plumage moderately full, dense, soft, glossy. Feathers of the head and 

 upper part of the neck somewhat silky, blended, very narrow, elongated along 

 the median line, so as to form a very conspicuous erectile crest, divided into 

 two parts, those below the upper occipital region and the nape being shorter, 

 leaving two long tufts. Feathers of the back rather compact, of the lower 

 parts blended. Wings short, of moderate breadth, convex, acute; primaries 

 narrow, tapering, the first longest, the second only half a twelfth shorter, the 

 rest rapidly graduated; secondaries rather short, narrow, rounded, the inner 

 elongated and tapering. Tail short, much rounded, of eighteen rounded 

 sub-acuminate feathers. 



Bill deep carmine, dusky along the ridge, the unguis yellowish. Iris 

 carmine. Feet bright red, claws greyish-yellow. Head and upper part of 

 neck greenish-black, glossy, with bright green reflections along the sides, 

 and purplish on the crest. On the middle of the neck is a broad ring of 

 white; and on its lower part a broad band of light brownish-red, longitu- 



