AMERICAN MERGANSER. 
359 
of the season these birds migrate probably to the extremity of 
the Union, being seen in winter on the Mississippi and Mis- 
souri, from whence at the approach of spring they migrate 
north or into the interior to breed. 
The Goosander is seen to frequent the coast only in the 
depth of winter; and in its remote resorts in the North it fears 
the cold much less than the ice, as when that appears, its sup- 
ply of food is necessarily cut off. The extent of the breeding- 
range of this species, as of that of many other retiring birds, is 
yet far from being sufficiently ascertained. Early in the month 
of May (1832), while descending the Susquehanna near to 
Dunnstown, a few miles below the gorge of the .-Mleghanies, 
through which that river meanders, near the foot of the Bald 
Eagle Mountain, G. Lyman, Esq., and myself observed near 
the head of a little bushy island a wild Duck, as we thought, 
with her brood making off round a point which closed the 
view. On rowing to the spot the wily parent had still con- 
tinued her retreat, and we gave chase to the party, which with 
all the exertions that could be made in rowing still kept at a 
respectable distairce before us. We now perceived that these 
diminutive possessors of their natal island were a female 
Goosander, or Dun-Diver, with a small but active little brood 
of eight young ones. On pushing the chase for near half an 
hour, the young, becoming somewhat fatigued, drew around 
their natural protector, who now and then bore them along 
crowding on her back. At length, stealing nearly from our 
sight as the chase relaxed, the mother landed at a distance on 
the gravelly shore, which, being nearly of her own gray color 
and that of her family, served for some time as a complete con- 
cealment. When we approached again, however, mother and 
brood took to the water, and after a second attempt, in which 
the young strove to escape by repeated divings, we succeeded 
in cutting off the retreat of one of the family, which was at 
length taken from behind a flat boat under which it had finally 
retreated to hide. We now examined the little stranger, and 
found it to be a young Merganser of this species not bigger 
than the egg of a Goose, and yet already a most elegant 
