154 
British Birds. 
THE 
GOOSANDER. 
(Merganser 
merganser.) 
The Mergansers are large birds with long bills, the edges of 
which are ‘serrated,’ or have saw-like margins. The Goosander, 
which is the larger of the two resident British species, has no 
dark collar across the fore-neck, and is white underneath, with 
a beautiful tinge of salmon pink; the head and throat are black, 
as well as the crest, all these parts being glossed with green. The female is slaty- 
grey above with a rufous head and neck. 
The Goosander breeds in the highlands of Scotland, but is elsewhere only known 
as a winter visitor. It nests in Central and Northern Europe and throughout 
Siberia. Its food consists almost entirely of fish, which it catches by diving. The 
nest is generally placed in the hole of a tree or cleft of a rock, while sometimes the 
old nest of a Crow or other bird is utilized. The nesting-place is lined with the grey 
down of the bird, and the eggs, eight to twelve in number, are of a creamy-buff 
colour and measure from two-and-a-half to nearly three inches in length. 
The Red-breasted Merganser. 
This is a smaller bird than the Goosander and is distinguished 
THE 
RED-BREASTED 
MERGANSER. 
(Merganser serrator.) 
from that species by the rufous band on the fore-neck, speckled 
with black, as well as by the wavy bars on the sides of the body. 
The dark brown Hanks of the Red-breasted Merganser distinguish 
the female of this species from the female of the Goosander. It 
nests in Scotland and Ireland as well as throughout the northern portions of both 
the Old and New Worlds, migrating south in winter. Its food consists of fish, small 
Crustacea and shell-fish, and it is an expert diver. In winter it leaves its inland 
habitat, and collects in flocks. The nest is a mere hollow in the ground, lined with 
