i64 THE BIRDS OF DORSET. 



and rushing about in the confined waters of a mud 

 channel drives the fish in all directions and afi*ords 

 the gulls a chance of securing some on the surface. 

 A fine Merganser met with its end in an unusual way 

 in the winter of 1883. On emerging after a dive, 

 it was observed to be in difficulties, finally coming 

 ashore with something attached to its bill. The bird 

 was caught and found to have inserted its bill into 

 a large cockle weighing several ounces, which had 

 closed its valves upon it and held both the mandibles 

 securely. 



Note. — In a " Catalogue of the Mammalia, Birds, 

 &c., found in Dorsetshire," contributed by the late 

 Mr. J. C. Dale to the Naturalist, edited by Neville 

 Wood (vol. ii., 1837, p. 181), and which is little more 

 than a bare list of names, the Hooded Merganser, 

 Mergus cucullatus, is included. This is probably a 

 mistake, as no particulars of any kind are afforded, 

 which, in the case of so rare a bird, would scarcely 

 have been omitted intentionally. So far as I am 

 aware, there is no evidence of the occurrence of this 

 species in Dorsetshire. 



SMEW. Mergus albellus, L. 



Yarrell, iv. p. 499 ; Harting, p. 67 ; Dresser, vi. p. 699 ; Seebohm, 

 iii, p. 636; Ibis List, p. 137 ; Pidteneifs List, p. 19. 



Although never veiy numerous as a species, the 

 Smew occurs every winter, generally in small flocks, 

 which soon become scattered about our bays and 



