MERGANSER. 



200 



The Red-breasted Merganser is found chiefly in the northern 

 parts of this kingdom, being met with in the south but rarely. It is 

 said to breed on the fresh water lochs, in the Isle of Glass ; alson 

 Loch Mari, in the County of Ross, and in the Isle of Hay ; is known 

 in most parts of the north of Europe, and as high as Iceland,* where 

 it is called Vatus ond ; is frequent in Greenland in the summer, 

 where it breeds on the shores, and is often taken in August, by throw- 

 ing darts at it, on the water ; also in the Russian dominions, about the 

 great rivers of Siberia, and the Lake Baikal. The most southern part 

 of Europe in which we hear of it, is Gibraltar, where it sometimes 

 appears in small flocks on the strand, below the town walls, in De- 

 cember; is well known in Newfoundland ; and often appears at Hud- 

 son's Bay, in large flocks, but is said to exceed the European one in 

 size; generally come in pairs, the beginning of June, as soon as the ice 

 breaks up, making the nest soon after, chiefly on dry spots of ground 

 in the Islands. The eggs from eight to thirteen in number, the size 

 of those of a Duck, and white, the nest composed of withered grass, 

 lined with the down from the breast : the young are dirty brown, 

 like young Goslings. They all depart in October, to the lakes, 

 where they may have open water ; are called at Hudson's Bay 

 As-sick. 



A. — Merganser leucomelanus, Bris. vi. 250. Id. 8vo. ii. 427. Ind. Orn. ii. 830. (3. 

 Merganser superne niger, inferne albus, Gerin. v. t. 512. 

 Haile a Manteau noir, Buf. viii. 277. Gen. Syn. vi. 425. A. 

 Der bunte Meerachen, Bechst. Deuts. ii. 737. 4. 



Size of the last ; head, neck behind, back, scapulars, and rump, 

 black ; upper tail coverts brown ; all beneath white; also the lesser 

 wing coverts and greater ones nearest the body ; the outer and quills 

 black ; tail brown ; legs red. — This is a Variety of the male. 



* Hooker's Tour, p. 72. 



