80 HOODED MERGANSER. 



the wings and flanks reddish brown, beautifully crossed with pa- 

 rallel lines of black ; tail pointed, consisting of twenty feathers 

 of a sooty brown; legs and feet flesh colored; claws large and 

 stout. The windpipe has a small labyrinth. 



The female is rather less, the crest smaller and of a light rust 

 or dull ferruginous color, entirely destitute of the white ; the up- 

 per half of the neck a dull drab, with semicircles of lighter, the 

 white on the wings is the same as in the male ; but the tertials 

 are shorter and have less white ; the back is blackish brown ; the 

 rest of the plumage corresponds very nearly with the male. 



This species is peculiar to America; is said to arrive at Hud- 

 son's Bay about the end of May ; builds close to the lakes ; the 

 nest is composed of grass lined with feathers from the breast ; is 

 said to lay six white eggs. The young are yellow, and fit to fly 

 in July.^ 



* HuTCHiifs, as quoted by Lathaiji. 



