HOODED MERGANSER. 
243 
[It is truly astonishing with what pertinacity Montagu 
adheres to the opinion that the dun diver is a species 
distinct from the goosander. Had this excellent 
ornithologist had the same opportunities for examining 
these birds that we have, he would never have published 
an opinion, which, in this quarter of the globe, would 
subject one, even from the vulgar, to the imputation of 
ignorance.] * 
286 . MERGUS CUCULLATUS, LINNAEUS AND WILSON. 
HOODED MERGANSER. 
WILSON, PLATE LXIX. FIG. I. 
This species, on the sea coast, is usually called the 
hairy head. They are more common, however, along 
our lakes and fresh water rivers than near the sea ; 
tracing up creeks, and visiting mill ponds, diving per- 
petually for their food. In the creeks and rivers of 
the Southern States, they are very frequently seen during 
the winter. Like the red-breasted, they are migratory, 
the manners, food, and places of resort of both being 
very much alike. 
The hooded merganser is eighteen inches in length, 
and two feet in extent ; bill, blackish red, narrow, 
thickly toothed, and furnished with a projecting nail at 
the extremity; the head is ornamented with a large 
circular crest, which the bird has the faculty of raising 
or depressing at pleasure ; the fore part' of this, as far 
as the eye, is black, thence to the hindhead, white, and 
elegantly tipt with black ; it is composed of two separate 
rows of feathers, radiating from each side of the head, 
and which may be easily divided by the hand ; irides, 
golden ; eye, very small ; neck, black, which spreads 
to and over the back ; part of the lesser wing-coverts, 
very pale ash, under which the greater coverts and 
secondaries form four alternate bars of black and white ; 
* The concluding paragraph, marked off with brackets, is an 
addition by Mr Ord. 
