238 MERGUS ALBELLUS. 



parts of England ; but to tlie north of the Ilumbcr few are 

 met with, and in Scothind it is everywhere rare, and more 

 so in the more northern districts. It prefers hikes and rivers 

 to the estuaries and open sea, to which it resorts only during 

 severe frost. Its food is said to consist exclusively of fish, 

 for which it dives with the same dexterity as the Mergansers ; 

 but its habits have not been well studied with us, on account 

 of the few opportunities of seeing it alive that have occurred 

 to persons qualified to observe its movements with any degree 

 of interest. I have never met Avith it on any of my excur- 

 sions, and have not examined more than two recent entire 

 specimens. 



Montagu says " this is by far the most plentiful species 

 of Merganser that frequents our (southern) coasts and fresh 

 Avaters in the winters, but, we believe, has never been known 

 to breed in this country. It is naturally shy, and readily 

 takes wing, being as expert in air as it is in water, where 

 indeed, if it is surprised, it is with difficulty shot, by reason 

 of its incessant diving. At the time of writing this account, 

 there are two White Wigeons, as the full-plumed males are 

 sometimes called by the natives, on a piece of fresh-water 

 not very distant from us, but too wary to be shot. The 

 females and young birds are called in the northern parts of 

 Devonshire Vare-Wigeon, from a supposed similitude to the 

 head of a Weesel, which is denominated A'are." In Ireland 

 it " is much less common than in England, but more so than 

 in Scotland." 



According to M. Temminck, it " nestles on the borders of 

 lakes and rivers, and lays from eight to twelve whitish eggs. 



Young. — The young, when they appear with us in the 

 beginning of winter, are not entirely similar to the adult 

 female, as has been alleged. One examined by me in 

 January, 1836, was as follows : — 



Bill bluish-grey ; feet pale greenish-blue, their webs 

 dusky. The upper part of the head, including the loral 

 space, a portion of the cheeks, and the occiput, with the 

 liind part of the neck half-way down, yellowish-brown. The 

 upper parts in general ash-grey, tinged with dark brown. 



