ANATID. ALT 
REDBREASTED MercansEer, Mergus Serrator. As 
the Rev. Murray A. Mathew informs me that an im- 
mature specimen of this, with us, rare bird was killed 
by him at Weston-super-Mare, I have to include it 
in the list of Somersetshire birds. Other specimens 
may have been obtained, especially immature ones, 
as they might easily have been mistaken for imma- 
ture Goosanders. It has occurred on the opposite 
side of our channel, at Swansea, as well as in the 
neighbouring counties of Devon and Dorset. In the 
more eastern counties the Redbreasted Merganser is 
much more common, and breeds in them in such 
places as suit its habits, as it also does in many 
parts of Scotland. More of these birds appear to 
be found in England in the winter than in the 
breeding season: we must, therefore, consider it, 
partially at all events, a winter visitor. 
Dr. Saxby, writing from Shetland, in the ‘ Zoolo- 
gist’ for 1864 (p. 9243), describes the nests of these 
birds as follows :—‘‘ Although they often lay amongst 
long grass they seem to prefer the shelter of a roof 
of some kind, and thus it is that the eggs are most 
commonly found under rocks, in rabbit-burrows, and 
even in crevices in old walls; but, whatever may be 
the situation chosen, the nest always consists of a 
hollow scraped in the ground, and lined to a greater 
or less extent with down, feathers and dead plants, 
the amount of material being increased as incubation 
proceeds.” 
2x 
