240 
MEHGUS MERGANSER. 
the whole of my examinations and dissections of 0)® 
present species, I have never yet found the female '■* 
his dress. What I consider as undoubtedly the tru'* 
female of this species is described at pag-e 243. They 
both shot in the month of April, in the same crerl'> 
unaccoraj)anied by any other ; and, on examination, th'' 
sexual parts of each were strongly and prominently 
marked. The windpipe of the female had nothii'.' 
remarkable in it ; that of the male had two very lant'^ 
expansions, which have been briefly described 1'.^ 
Willoughby, who says : “ It hath a large bony labyrintl' 
on the windpipe, just above the divarication's; aiid tl''’ 
windpipe hath, besides, two swcllicigs out, one alxA® 
another, each resembling a powder jnilf.” These lah’' 
rinths are the distinguishing characters of the mal^''’ 
and are always found, even in young males who liS'^ 
not yet thrown off the plumage of the female, as n'Ce 
as in the old ones. If we admit these dun divers to I''"’ 
a distinct sjiecies, we can find no difference betwc*^'' 
their pretended females and those of the goosand^j’ 
only one kind of female of this sort being known ; 
this is contrary to the usual analogy of the other thr®? 
species, viz. the red-bre.osted merganser, the hooded, 
the smew, all of whose females are well known, and be>^ 
the same comparative resemblance in colour to th**'*^ 
respective males, the length of crest excepted, as 
female goosander we are about to describe bears to h''''j 
Having thought thus much necos.sary on this disput*^ 
point, I leave each to form his own opinion on the fi**'** 
and re.asoning produced. 
[* The goosander is a broad, long-bodied, and Hj**' 
backed bird. It is a great diver, and remains ui'd^ 
water for a considerable time. It is very shy, and b.vt 
to be obtained, unless there is ice in the river, at whk 
time it may be approached by stratagem, the shoe**' 
and his boat being clothed in white, so as to reseniW 
* From this to the end of the article, marked off with brackf^ 
is an addition to Wilson’s description by Mr Ord. The artk" J 
Gray Phalarope (p. 132,) and Laughing Gull (p. 161,) are ^ 
Mr Ord’s. 
