ornithology, a genus of birds of the order of anseres; distinguished by having the beak of a cylindrical figure, and hooked at the extremities, and its denticulations of a subulated form. There are six species.

1. The cucullatus, or crested diver of Catesby, has a globular crest, white on each side; and the body is brown above, and white below. It is a native of America. See Plate CLXXVI. fig. 4.

2. The merganser, or goosander, is a native of Europe. These birds frequent our rivers and other fresh waters, especially in hard winters; they are great divers, and live on fish. They are never seen in the southern parts of Great Britain during summer; when they retire far north to breed; for in that season they have been shot in the Hebrides. They are uncommonly rank, and scarce eatable. The male weighs four pounds: its length is two feet four inches; the breadth three feet two. The bill is three inches long, narrow, and finely toothed or serrated; the colour of that and of the irides is red. The dun diver, or female, is less than the male: the head and upper part of the neck is ferruginous; the throat white: the feathers on the hind part are long, and form a pendent crest: the back, the coverts of the wings, and the tail, are of a deep ash-colour: the greater quill-feathers are black, the lesser white; the breast and middle of the belly are white, tinged with yellow.

3. The serraor, or redbreasted merganser, weighs about two pounds: the length is one foot nine inches, the breadth two feet seven; the bill is three inches long; the lower mandible red; the upper dusky; the irides a purplish red: head and throat a fine changeable black and green: on the former a long pendent crest of the same colour; the tail short and brown; the legs orange-coloured. The head and upper part of the female are of a deep rush-colour, and the tail ash-coloured. These birds breed in the northern parts of Great Britain.

4. The caster has a crested ash-coloured head, a white throat, and a black bill and legs. It inhabits the south of Europe.

5. The albellus, or smew, weighs about 34 ounces: the length 18 inches, the breadth 26; the bill is near two inches long, and of a lead colour; the head is adorned with a long crest, white above, and black beneath: the head, neck, and whole under part of the body, are of a pure white; the tail is of a deep ash-colour, the legs a bluish grey. The female, or lough-