174 steeler’s western duck. 
and the Prince of Canino gives to it the northern 
coast of America ; but even there it must be ex- 
tremely rare, for Audubon writes, “ so very scarce 
indeed is it, that all my exertions to obtain a speci- 
men have failed,” and he figures the bird from the 
Norwich specimen alluded to ; it is said to breed 
like the Eiders. 
Succeeding the extensive series of birds we have 
now had under review, has been placed another 
group, duck-like in form, but at the same timehaving, 
while in the water, the appearance and almost the 
aquatic activity of the divers ; the Goosanders , or 
genus Mergus, Linn, is much more aquatic in habits 
than even the Fuligulinee, and are in fact seldom 
seen except swimming or during flight, the short 
period devoted to incubation being almost the only 
necessary exception; when swimming, they sink deep 
into the water, but move rapidly and gracefully, 
and dive with great facility ; the food is chiefly fish, 
caught by diving, and held securely by the serrated 
structure or modification of the lamellae of the bill, 
which membor becomes also moro elongated and 
narrower than among the ducks ; the feet are placed 
far behind or beyond the centre of gravity. The 
males are unlike the females in plumage, having 
the colours very marked and contrasted ; these are 
in their greatest beauty during the commencement 
of incubation, but as this advances, a change takes 
place, and the dress becomes unobtrusive and more 
like that of the other sex. The number of species 
