Merganser americanus. MAINE; (L. Umbagog.) Mergus americanus 1885: Oct. 9. Unusually abundant up to Oct. 15 after which their numbers diminished rapidly. On the 23rd I saw an adult ♂ in apparently perfect nuptial plumage. I had a good view of it through a glass at about two hundred yards. They seldom were alight out in the lake but invariably swim and folt within a few yards (usually feet) of the shore, preferably in rocky places when the water is shallow. Their progress is very rapid and as they rarely or never turn back they advance nearly as fast as a man 93