RED-BREASTED MERGANSER. 4915 



thinks that this is also the case in Devon and Somerset ; but, 

 as a rule, along the EngHsh Channel, as far as Cornwall, 

 the Red-breasted Merganser may be considered the com- 

 monest species of the genus. To inland waters its visits 

 are less frequent than those of its larger congener, although 

 it is sometimes observed far up tidal rivers. 



In Scotland the Red-breasted Merganser is a well-known 

 and resident species, being, as Mr. R. Gray remarks, an in- 

 habitant of nearly all the lakes of any importance north of 

 Loch Lomond ; but on the east coast Mr. Gray had never 

 discovered any breeding-place. It is generally distributed 

 in Sutherlandshire ; very abundant about Loch Maree in 

 Ross-shire ; and nests freely throughout the Hebrides ; also, 

 sparingly, in the Orkneys and Shetlands. 



In Ireland this species is more or less common in winter 

 round the coasts, and Sir R. Payne- Gallwey states that in 

 Cork Harbour, during the severe winter of 1878-79, he 

 often noticed from one hundred to even five or six hundred 

 of these Divers together. They nest annually on the 

 islands of Loughs Derg, Ree, Corrib, Erne, Conn, CuUen, 

 Strangford, Neagh, &c., and in many localities along the 

 coast ; being generally known to the fishermen and fowlers 

 by the name of ' Sheld-ducks,' and occasionally as ' Spear 

 Wigeon,' on account of the sharp serrated bill. 



The Red-breasted Merganser breeds in the Faeroes, Ice- 

 land, Greenland, Scandinavia, Finland, and Northern 

 Russia ; also, sparingly, in the islands of the Baltic, and in 

 Northern Germany. In winter it visits the coasts and in- 

 land waters of the Continent, and it is by no means rare 

 throughout the Mediterranean ; its migrations extending to 

 the lakes of Algeria, and to Egypt. It ranges across Siberia 

 to the Sea of Ochotsk, the Bureja Mountains, and the 

 Amoor in summer ; and to China and Japan in winter. In 

 India, where the Goosander is common during the cold sea- 

 son, the Red-breasted Merganser is either exceedingly rare, 

 or has been overlooked, for Mr. Hume has only recorded the 

 occurrence of a single example, near Kurrachi. In North 

 America it is found throughout the northern districts from 



