I 



The Scottish Naturalist. 343 



131. Mergus serrator, Linn. (Red-breasted Merganser.) 



Though a regular visitant, the Red-breasted Merganser does 

 not seem to be so common as the above, and I have never had 

 the good fortune to see it in this district in its full dress, as by 

 the time of their assuming it they have all left for their breeding- 

 grounds in the north. In the Isle of Sanday, in Orkney, I have 

 found them in great numbers in the month of June in full dress. 

 The Goosander, on the contrary, is with us frequently to be met 

 with in the finest of plumage. It may be as well here to men- 

 tion that Mr Nelson writes to me that three winters ago he saw 

 an adult male Merganser on the water near Broughty Ferry, 

 W'hich from its appearance he took to be the Hooded Merganser 

 {Mergus cucullatus^ Linn.), but could not be certain. It is not 

 improbable that what he saw was the bird in question, as there 

 are several instances of this American species visiting our shores ; 

 and the white hood is so very marked that it could scarcely be 

 any other bird, and would even at a distance distinguish it from 

 the Red-breasted Merganser. 



Mergus albellus, Linn. (Smew.) 



There are occasional instances of this bird being shot in the 

 district in very severe winters, but never in the full plumage. It 

 can therefore only be looked upon as a mere casual. A few 

 years ago, how^ever, one was obtained in the full dress in the 

 neighbourhood of Tents Muir, and is now in the College Museum 

 at St Andrews. 



PoDicEPS CRiSTATUS, Lath. (Great Crested Grebe.) 



A good many years ago I recollect seeing a pair of these 

 birds in full plumage, which wxre obtained in the vicinity of 

 Dunkeld, and which I believe to have been shot on Loch Ordie ; 

 but there is no notice of their having been seen there of late 

 years. Mr Nelson has obtained it at Broughty Ferry, and Dr 

 MTntosh mentions it from St Andrews Bay; but these were all 

 in immature plumage. 



PoDiCEPS AURiTUS, Gould. (Homed or Sclavonian Grebe.) 



Though several instances are recorded of this bird having 

 been got on the Tay and the vicinity of Tents Muir, its visits, 

 like that of the above, being uncertain, it can only be looked 

 upon as an occasional visitant. 



