1 92 1.] B'nxls of Alderney. 489 



Querquedula crecca. The Teal. 



A winter visitor in small numbers during hard weather 

 and never remaining long. L. tells me he usually sees a 

 few in August and September, so it is also a bird of passage. 



Mareca penelope. The Wigeon. 



As in the case of the last two, this bird is a winter visitor 

 in hard weather only, and in quite small numbers. It departs 

 as soon as the weather modifies, if not in the meantime 

 accounted for by the local sportsman. I cannot find that it 

 ever occurs as a bird of passage. 



Dafila acuta. The Pintail. 



]Mr. Cecil Smith says of this bird: — " ( 'apbiin Hubbach 

 writes me word that he shot one in Alderney in January 

 18G3.^' 



(Edemia nigra. The Common Scoter. 



Mr. Cecil Smith says : — "The Scoter is a common autumn 

 and winter visitant to all the islands, generally making its 

 appearance in considerable flocks." ] am afraid its numbers 

 must have sadly diminished since Mr. Smith's day, as I do 

 not remember seeing it when stationed in Guernsey, nor on 

 my fairly frequent winter passages between Alderney and 

 Guernsey. 1 shot an immature female of this species in 

 Longy Bay on the 9tli of August, 1919. It was by itself 

 and dou1)tless a straggler from some flock. I have no other 

 record oi it for the ishind, though it no doubt visits Burhou 

 and some of the outlying rocks during winter. 



Mergus merganser. The Goosander. 



Mr. Cecil Smith says: — " The Goosander is a regular and 

 tolerably numerous visitant to all the islands, arriving in 

 the autumn and remaining throughout the winter." I have 

 no other record of it, but birds which keep the sea, such as 

 the divers and diving-ducks^ are difficult to observe from 

 land. Had I the facilities for going afloat during winter, I 

 have little doubt but that this list could have be(m added tO;, 

 In one or two particulars. 



SEE. XI. VOL. III. 2 G 



