MERGANSERS. 99 
     
    
   
   
    
     it will readily pass underneath it. It swims so deeply as to afford the 
     
     gunner but a small mark, and dives so quickly at the snap or flash of 
     
     his gun that he stands but a small chance of killing it. 
     
    

    
     " On being surprised the Goosander may rise directly out of the 
     
     water, but more commonly pats the surface with his feet for some 
     
     yards and then rises to Windward. A whole flock thus rising from 
     
     some foaming current affords a spirited scene. Once on the wing, the 
     
     flight is straight, strong, and rapid” (Langille). 
     
    
   
   
    
     130. Mex-gamer senator (Zinn). RED-BREASTED MERGANSER; 
     
     SHELLDRAKE. Ad. 6 .-—Whole head and throat black, more greenish above; 
     
     a white ring around the neck; a broad cinnamon-rufous band with black 
     
     streaks on the upper breast and sides of the lower neck; lesser wing-coverts, 
     
     tips of greater ones, secondaries, breast, and belly white; rump and sides 
     
     finely barred with black and white. Ad. 9 and Im.—Top and back of head 
     
     grayish brown washed with cinnamon—rufous; sides of the head and throat 
     
     cinnamon-rufous, paler on the throat; rest of under parts white; back and 
     
     tail ashy gray; speculum white. L., 2200; W., 900; Tar., 1'70; B. from 
     
     N., 1-80. . 
     
    

    
     Remarka—Adults of this and the preceding species may always be dis- 
     
     tinguished by the color of the breast; females and young, by the differently 
     
     colored heads, while the position of the nostril is always diagnostic. 
     
    

    
     Range—Northern parts of the northern hemisphere; in America breeds 
     
     from northern Illinois and New Brunswick northward to the arctic regions; 
     
     winters from near the southern limits of its breeding range southward to Cuba. 
     
    

    
     Washington, uncommon W. V. Long Island, abundant T. V., Mel). 1 to 
     
     May 1; Oct. 15 to Dec. 1, a few winter. Sing Sing, common T. V., Dee. to 
     
     Apl. 30. Cambridge, casual, one instance, Oct. 
     
    

    
     Nest, of leaves, grasses, mosses, etc., lined with down, on the ground near 
     
     Water, among rocks or scrubby bushes. Eggs, six to twelve, creamy buff, 
     
     2'55 x 1'75. 
     
    
   
   
    
     This is a more common species than the preceding, which it resem- 
     
     bles in habits. Its note is described as a “eroak.” 
     
    
   
   
    
     131. Lophodytes cucullatus(Linn.). HOODED MERGANSER. Ad. 6 . 
     
     —Front part of large circular crest black; remaining part white, bordered by 
     
     black; rest of head, the neck, and back black; breast and belly white; sides 
     
     cinnamon-rufous, finely barred with black. Ad. 9 .—Uppcr throat white ; head, 
     
     neck, and upper breast grayish brown, more or less tinged with cinnamon, 
     
     especially on the small crest; lower breast and belly white; sides grayish 
     
     brown; back fuseous. Im.—Similar, but with no crest. L.,17'50; W., 7‘50; 
     
     Tar., 1'10; B., 1'45. 
     
    

    
     Range—North America generally, south in winter to Cuba and Mexico: 
     
     breeds locally throughout its North American range. 
     
    

    
     Washington. uncommon W. V. Long Island, uncommon ’1‘. V., rare W. V., 
     
     Nov. to May. Sing Sing, rare T. V., Mch. Cambridge, formerly common '1‘. 
     
     V., Oct. to Dec.