Merganser americanus. Maine (Lake Umbagog). 1881. May 19. Set A-11. Nest in hollow pine stub standing in the water. The hole descended about ten feet and the eggs, lying on cotton wood, were surrounded by the usual down. A new dam at the Outlet has brought the water of this Lake about three inches above its highest pre- vious level. The bird apparently did not calculate on this, for the nest was flooded and the eggs just covered with water; she was sitting on them, however, and the (May 19) water was warm. This nest had evidently been occupied in former years, for someone had chopped a hole in the side of the stub on a level with it and pinned a chip over the opening. By removing this chip my guide look- od directly in on the bird. She made a low growl- ing noise but refused to move till he poked her, when she scrambled up the hollow trunk and flew from the open top He shot her but she was so wet and dragged that he did not bring her in. He says her breast was bare in places and her plumage much worn. There was a pro- jecting knot in the stub about half way up which so nar- rowed the passage that the bird could hardly squeeze by, and this knot was covered with her feathers. The eggs all contained small embryos; they had remarkably thin shells for eggs of such large size much thinner than those of either the Whistler or Hooded Merganser. This nest was at the head of the Narrows on Richardson Lake. [2582]. 1882. Oct. 8-22 Hundreds around every rocky cove in the Lake. To- wards the close of my stay they were more abundant than any other Duck. 1883. Oct. 19. Saw about forty on the Lake.