6 BIEDS OF PENNSYLVANIA. 



coming out to the surface only at considerable distances we soon 

 lost sight of it, making good its aquatic retreat in quest of the parent. 

 On inquiry, we learned from the tavern-keeper that for several years 

 past a nest or brood of these birds had annually been seen near this 

 solitary and secluded island." This species has been found breeding 

 in Perry * county, Pa. 



Turnbull, in his *' Birds of Eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey," 

 published in 1869, writing of this species, says : " Abundant from the 

 beginning of November to April, but many breed in the interior and 

 are resident." 



This species, like all other of our " wild Ducks," is exceedingly shy 

 and difficult to approach. According to Audubon, u the food of the 

 Goosander consists chiefly of fish, but also of bivalve shells, snails, 

 leeches, aquatic lizards, crays and frogs. Its voracity is great, so that 

 it consumes an extraordinary quantity of fish. I have found fishes in 

 its stomach seven inches in length, and of smaller kinds, so many as 

 to weigh more than half a pound. Digestion takes place with great 

 rapidity, insomuch that some which I have had in captivity devoured 

 more than two dozen of fishes about four inches in length, four times 

 daily, and yet always seemed to be desirous of more." 



The stomachs of six of these birds, which I have examined, contained 

 only the remains of fish. 



130. Merganser serrator (LINN.). 



Red-breasted Merganser. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Feathers of the forehead extending on the bill in a short obtuse angle, and falling 

 far short of the end of those on the sides ; the outline of the latter sloping rapidly 

 forwards, and reaching half- way from the posterior end of the lower edge of bill to 

 the nostrils, and far beyond those on the side of lower jaw ; nostrils narrow, poste- 

 rior ; their posterior outline opposite the end of basal third of commissure. 



Male. Head with conspicuous pointed occipital crest; head and upper part of 

 neck, all around, dark-green; under parts reddish-white ; jugulurn reddish-brown, 

 streaked with black; sides conspicuously barred transversely with fine lines of 

 black ; feathers anterior to wing white, margined with black ; white of wing crossed 

 by two bars of black ; bill, feet and eyes red ; young male similar to female. 



Female. Head with compressed occipital crest ; chestnut-brown ; body above 

 ash ; beneath reddish-white ; the black at base of secondaries exposed ; outer tertials 

 white, edged with black. 



Length, 23.35 inches; wing, 8.60; tarsus, 1.80; commissure, 2.76. 



Hab. Northern portions of Northern Hemisphere ; south in winter throughout 

 the United States. 



This Merganser, a summer resident chiefly of high northern lati- 

 tudes^ is found throughout different portions of the United States, 



* List of Birds found in the vicinity of Carlisle, Cumberland County, Pa., by William M. and 

 Spencer F. Baird, published April, 1844 ; American Journal Sciences and Arts, Vol. XL VI. Here- 

 after whenever reference is made to the Baird List, it will apply to this publication. 



