482 THE BIRDS OF YORKSHIRE. 



With regard to this bird's imperviousness to shot, the 

 remarks appUed to the common species are equally applicable. 



The only vernacular names by which it is known are Velvet 

 Duck, and Big Black and White Duck. 



[Mr. A. S. Bell reported the occurrence of a Surf Scoter, 

 (Edemia perspicillata (L.) at Gristhorpe, near Scarborough, 

 shot by him on 25th November i860 {Zool. i860, p. 7274, 

 1861, p. 7385). On investigation, however, it proved to be 

 a mistake, the bird being a Velvet Scoter (Harting's " Hand- 

 book," 2nd Ed. p. 463)]. 



GOOSANDER. 



Mergus merganser (Z.). 



Winter visitant, the numbers depending on the rigour of the season. 

 In mild winters young males and females are chiefly found ; in hard 

 weather adult males in beautiful plumage are not uncommon on the 

 inland waters. 



The first Yorkshire allusion to the Goosander may be found 

 in the Allan MS. (1791), and refers to a river Tees specimen 

 in the Tunstall Museum, thus : — 



" These birds frequent our rivers and other fresh waters, 

 especially in hard winters. This specimen is the male bird, 

 and was shot in the river Tees, near Wycliffe, in January 

 1789." (Fox's " Synopsis," p. 95.) 



Thomas Allis, 1844, wrote : — 



Mergtts merganser. — The Goosander — Occasionally got near Leeds 

 and Huddersfield ; it is shot near Doncaster in hard winters ; it is 

 very rare about Hebden Bridge ; a fine male was shot in January 1842 ; 

 it is occasionally met with at Gormire near Thirsk ; the female and 

 immature young are frequently met with in winter near York, and I 

 have myself procured four or five full plumaged males in beautiful 

 condition at one time. 



This handsome bird is an irregular winter visitant to 

 the coast line, estuaries, and inland waters, the first arrivals 

 in October and November being, as a rule, females or birds 



