RED-BREASTED MERGANSER. 
109 
Prom Texas westward to the Columbia .river and northward. Common 
during autumn and spring. Also throughout the United States, and along 
the Atlantic shores. Breeds from .New York to Labrador and the Fur 
Countries, as well as along the Great Lakes, and on the Rocky Mountains. 
Adult Male. 
Bill about the length of the head, straight, strong, tapering, higher than 
broad at the base, nearly cylindrical toward the end. Upper mandible with 
the dorsal outline sloping gently to the middle, then straight, along the unguis 
suddenly decurved ; the ridge flattened at the base, and gradually becoming 
convex ; the sides sloping rapidly at the base, convex toward the end, the 
edges serrated beneath ; the unguis oblong, much curved, abruptly rounded 
at the end. Nasal groove elongated ; nostrils sub-basal, linear, direct, 
pervious. Lower mandible with the angle very narrow, and extended to 
the unguis, which is obovate ; the sides nearly erect in their outer half, with 
a long narrow groove, the edges serrate within. 
Head rather large, compressed, oblong. Neck rather long and somewhat 
slender. Body full, depressed. Feet placed far behind, short, stout ; tibia 
bare for about a quarter of an inch; tarsus very short, compressed, anteriorly 
covered with small scutella, and another row on the lower half externally, 
the sides reticulated, the hind part thin edged. Hind toe very small, with 
an inferior free membrane ; anterior toes half as long again as the tarshs ; 
second shorter than fourth, which is almost as long as the third, all con- 
nected by reticulated webs, which are deeply concave at the margin ; the 
outer toe slightly margined, the inner with a broad marginal membrane. 
Claws rather small, very slightly arched, compressed, acute, that of the 
middle toe with a thin inner edge. 
Plumage moderately full, dense, soft, glossy. Feathers of the head and 
upper part of the neck somewhat silky, blended, very narrow, elongated 
along the median line, so as to form a very conspicuous erectile crest, 
divided into two parts, those below the upper occipital region and the nape 
being shorter, leaving two long tufts. Feathers of the back rather com- 
pact, of the lower parts blended. Wings short, of moderate breadth, con- 
vex, acute ; primaries narrow, tapering, the first longest, the second only 
half a twelfth shorter, the rest rapidly graduated ; secondaries rather short, 
narrow, rounded, the inner elongated and tapering. Tail short, much 
rounded, of eighteen rounded sub-acuminate feathers. 
Bill deep carmine, dusky along the ridge, the unguis yellowish. Iris 
carmine. Feet bright red, claws greyish-yellow. Head and upper part of 
neck greenish-black, glossy, with bright green reflections along the sides, 
and purplish on the crest. On the middle of the neck is a broad ring of 
white ; and on its lower part a broad band of light brownish-red, longitu- 
