208 MERGANSER. 



Omiska sheep ; in Georgia, Shag Pole, Cotton Head, or Hairy 

 Head ; comes there in the winter, and frequents ponds and lakes, in 

 pairs, and small companies ; is a great diver. 



5— BROWN MERGANSER. 



Mergus fuscus, Ind. Orn. ii. 832. 



Brown Merganser, Gen. Syn. Sup. ii. 339. Arct. Zool. ii. Sup. 74. 



LENGTH seventeen inches and a half; weight twenty-three 

 ounces. Head dark brown ; from the orbits a whitish brown streak, 

 extending backwards, and ending in a large pendent crest; the upper 

 part of it brown, the lower black ; greater and lesser coverts, scapulars, 

 and tail, black ; secondaries the same, but each web broadly mottled 

 with white; belly white; vent tawny; beyond the junction of the 

 thighs with the body, a few black feathers, marked with red ; legs 

 dusky yellow. 



Inhabits Hudson's Bay, arriving there in May, as soon as the 

 rivers are open ; makes the nest about the lakes with grass, lined 

 with feathers from the breast; retires when the rivers become frozen. 

 This seems to correspond somewhat with the Hooded Merganser, in 

 one of its stages towards perfection. It is now and then eaten, 

 but said to have a strong and rancid flavour. I find it among the 

 drawings of Mr. Abbot, of Savannah, as distinct. It is said to 

 frequent the ponds there in the winter; and that both sexes are alike. 



6. -SMEW MERGANSER. 



Mergus albellus, Ind. Orn. ii. 831. Lin. i. 209. Fn. suec. No. 137. Bris. vi. 245. 

 t. 24. f. 1. Id. Svo. ii. 425. Klein, 135. 30. Brun. No. 97. Frisch, t. 172. 

 Kram. 244. Johnst. Av. t. 47. Fn. Helv. Dec. russ. ii. 145. Besch. d. Berl. 

 Nat. iv. 496. t. 18. f. 7. Nov. Act. Stock. 1780. iii. p. 224. Naturf. xxv. s. 11. 

 Besek. Voy. Kurl. s. 53. Schr. Berl. Ges. vii. 457. Borowsk. iii. s. 22. 3. Am. 

 Orn. viii. 126. pi. 71. 4. Tern. Man. d'Orn. 581. Id. Ed. 2d. p. 888. 



