424.. M E R G A N S E R .
F e m a l e ,
feathers of the hind head forming a pretty long creft ; the reft of
the neck, and the under part of the body, white : the breaft ferruginous,
mixed with black and white: upper part of the
back gloffy black: the lower, and rump, tranfverfely ftriated
brown and pale grey : on each fide of the breaft are five or fix
broad white feathers, margined all round with black, and when
the wing is clofed reft on the bend of i t : part of the fcapulars
are black, others white: the wing coverts are alfo part black
part white; but moft of them of this laft colour: quills dulky :
tail brown: legs orange : claws black.
Thz female differs in having only the rudiment of a creft : the
head, and upper part of the neck adjoining, dull ferruginous:
chin white: forepart of the neck, and the breaft, ferruginous,
mottled with black and white: the upper part of the neck, back,
rump, and fcapulars, cinereous^: the lower part of the breaft and
belly white: on each fide the breaft the fame black and white
feathers as in the male: fcapulars and wing coverts much the
fame as in thatfex; but have lefs white and more dufky in them:
legs orange, but paler than in the
Individuals of both male and female differ from each other in
plumage. In the firft, fome have twice the proportion of white
in the neck that is feen in others; and the white on the wings
infinitely more pure. The females differ alfo in being much
P l a c e a n d
M a n n e r s *
brighter in colour.
This fpecies is found for the moft part in the northern parts of
this kingdom. Obferved to breed on Loch Mari, in the county
of Rofs, and in the IJle of Ilay *. In moft parts of the north of
Europe, on the continent: and as high as Iceland, where it is called
• Ar&. Zool.
Vatus-
Vatus-ond: alfo in the Ruffian dominions, about the great rivers
o f Sibiria, and the lake Baikal. Frequent in Greenland in the
fummer, where it breeds on the Ihores. The eggslike thofe of a
Wild Duck, but fmaller and whiter. It dives well, and is very
aftive in the water ; but the Greenlanders often take it by darts
thrown at it, efpecially in Augufl, being the time when it is in
moult. Frequent in Newfoundland; and often appears at Hudfon's
Bay in large flocks, but is obferved to be of a larger fize there
than in Europe. They generally come in pairs the beginning of
June, as foon as the ice breaks up; and make the neft foon after
their arrival, chiefly on dry fpots of ground in the iflands. Lay
from eight to thirteen white eggs, the fize of thofe of a Duck: the
neft made of withered grafs, and lined with the down of the
breaft. The young are of a dirty brown, like young Gojlings.
They all depart fouth in OSlober, to the lakes, where they may
have open water. They are known at Hudfon’s Bay by the name
o f As-fick*.
L’Harle blanc & noir, Bri/l Qrn. vi. p. 250. 4.
■" a manteau noir, Buf. Oif. viii. p. 250. V a r ; A.
*.......— noir, Brif* Orn. vi. p. 251. 5.
g I Z E of the laft. The head, hind part of the neck, back, fca- Das CRIPTIGW,
pulars, and rump, black : upper tail coverts brown: all the
under parts white; as are the lefler wing coverts, and the greater
ones neareft the body; the outer ones and quills black: tail
brown: legs red.
This is a variety of the male.
* Mr. Hutchins.
VoL. III. 3 I L ’Harle