Hooded Merganser 115 
The Rev. F. C. R. Jourdain informs me that one was shot near Cheltenham early in 
March 1909, and was bought by Sir V. Crewe, in whose collection it now rests. 
Continental Europe. — There seem to be no records of this species, except for a 
reference by Temminck (Man. d'Ornith., iv. p. 557). France, no details. Eversmann 
states that two young were obtained in the autumn of 1852, on the south-west slopes of the 
Ural (Dresser, Eggs of Birds of Europe, p. 588). 
North An'ierica. — Winter range in N. America extends from Southern British 
Columbia to Lower California and Mexico, (See A . O. U. Check List, last ed.) 
On the eastern side from Massachusetts, New York, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, and 
Kansas, southwards to the Gulf States and Cuba. 
Casual occurrences also recorded from Alaska and Bermuda. 
Habits. — Unlike the Goosander and Red-breasted Merganser, which delight in rushing 
streams and sea estuaries and bays, the Hooded Merganser loves the quiet lakes and 
pools of forest country. I have found it in British Columbia and Ontario in much the 
same habitat as the Buffle-headed Duck. They are often found on the same lakes as the 
Dusky and Wood Ducks, although not actually consorting with those species. They seem 
to be altogether a more delicate form of Merganser than the other species, and avoid rough 
winds and exposed situations of all kinds, spending the day in exploring the depths of some 
quiet pool for fish and water-insects. No one can mistake this very beautiful bird for any 
other duck, for even at a great distance the small size and peculiar form of the crest of the 
male make it easy of identification. The crest is not usually held in the expanded position 
generally figured in books. I noticed that it was almost invariably held depressed or folded 
backwards as in the distant figure of my drawing. It is only elevated and expanded in 
moments of fear or excitement. The female is also capable of spreading her crest, but not 
nearly to such an extent as the male. 
It did not strike me that Hooded Mergansers were as shy as other members of the 
genus. When seeing a stranger they merely swam away very fast to the other side of the 
lake, and kept under the lee of the banks, evidently in the hope that the disturber would 
pass away. The speed at which they swam was quite as swift as other Mergansers, and 
they kept moving the head and neck backwards and forwards as if prepared to dive at any 
moment. All their movements, both on the water and in flight, were similar to Smews 
and Red-breasted Mergansers. The flight was very swift, and they turned and twisted to 
the course of even a small stream with great ease and rapidity. Their food consists 
principally of fish : those that I killed were full of small char ; but they also eat quantities of 
molluscs and water-insects, and various American authorities state that they eat aquatic 
plants, seeds, and grain, a diet not accepted by other Mergansers. But for this latter reason 
certain western epicures insist that the Hooded Merganser is an excellent table bird ; but it 
seems a great pity that this beautiful bird should be killed for the table when many far com- 
moner and more palatable species are available. Gourmets says that "the birds should 
first be parboiled through two or three waters ; that they should then be well baked, stewed, 
fricassed or broiled, and flavoured with rashers of bacon, and onions, potatoes," &c. This 
simply means that the carcase is robbed of its original quality, and reduced to meat. An 
owl, a wolf, a carp, a Cormorant, or even an old boot might be made edible with such 
treatment. If a bird is unfit for food without such manipulation, it seems a pity to kill it. 
