WATER BIRDS. 229 
it, he threw a hayfork, which he had in his hand at the 
time, at the bird, and one of the prongs entering its 
neck, he secured his prize without further trouble. The 
little bird was in good flesh and plumage, but from its 
making no attempt to escape when first seen, I imagine 
it was exhausted with its southern journey. A few 
days after this a Razorbiil (Alcea torda) was seen on the 
Trent at Nottingham, and was shot, the severe weather 
having forced both these out of their usual course. 
I have often wondered that attractions like ours have 
not brought the Cormorant (Carbo cormoranus) more 
into our neighbourhood. I am only aware of one, and 
that was on Thoresby Lake, and it was soon shot. This 
was in August, 1864. The swans regarded the stranger 
with evident dislike, and chased it whenever he came 
near. 
The Shag (Carbo cristatus) I have known occur once, 
a pair in immature plumage having been shot on the 
Trent, at Burton Joyce, in the summer of 1851. 
Although greatly circumscribed in its habitat, yet the 
Gannet (Sula bassana) is sometimes driven from its 
ocean home and found far inland. In 1837 a male bird, 
in mature plumage, was seen on the lake in Welbeck 
Park, and shot at, but being only injured in one wing, 
it was captured and kept alive for some time on a small 
pond. Here, while it lived, it fiercely defended its 
limited dominions against all comers, and with unvary- 
ing success, for no intruders ventured to face bis sharply 
pointed bill In 1849 three others were seen together 
at Hexgrave, a few miles from Ollerton. They were 
resting in a field, and permitted themselves to be 
approached without difficulty, when one of them was 
