BIRDS OF THE DISTRICT. 327 
* Mergus albellus. Smew. 
J. Suaw, Shrewsbury, mentions having received Smews from 
the Dee, near Chester, for preservation, during January, 1861 
(Zoologist, 1861, vol. xix., p. 7388.) 
'- For the following interesting note I am indebted to Mr. R. 
Newsteap :—‘* During the severe weather of January, 1891, seven 
of this very beautiful species were seen on several occasions.in the 
River Dee, in the neighbourhood of Saltney Ferry. Three of them, 
two males and a female, were shot by Mr. T. H. Hicnerr on 
the 14th, and were présented to the Museum. Subsequently 
Mr. Hienerr shot another male ; ; this unfortunately (pda on 
the floating ice, and was probably carried out to sea. 
On the 18th I was fortunate in seeing two males swimming 
near the Chester side of the river, a little beyond the Saltney 
Ferry. The birds saw me immediately I approached the. river 
bank, and got as near the opposite side as they thought safe, and 
there remained for twenty minutes, giving me a splendid opportu- 
nity of watching their habits. Both birds were in adult plumage ; 
but from the size of its crest and cautious manners one was 
evidently an old bird; this felloW acted as sentinel while the other 
continually dived. Eventually the birds took wing, apparently 
rising with little difficulty ; at first they flew towards the city, but 
gradually wheeled round towards me, flying straight down the 
centre of the river. 
When swimming the neck is much arched, and the bill scarcely 
extends beyond the breast. During the whole of the time that I 
watched them the crest was carried semi-erect, and at all times the 
beautiful greenish-black feathers were conspicuous. The black 
wing-feathers were hidden by the marginal breast-feathers, which 
gave the birds a much whiter appearance than I anticipated. The 
birds uttered no note as they rose from the water ; their flight, too, 
was very silent. 
They had evidently resorted to our river for the sake of the 
Flukes (Platessa flesus, FixM.), which abound, as I found ten of 
these fish and a Salmon Fry in the gullet of the male which was 
shot by Mr. Hienerr.” 
Noted by the late Mr. F. Arcuer as “killed at Talacre, 
Carr. Mostyn;’’ there is a young male in Sir Pyers Mosryn’s 
Collection there; also a female (?) in Mr. Conerevn’s Collection at 
Burton. 
Order COLUMB2. 
* Columba palumbus. Rine-Dove or Woop-Piaron. 
‘¢ An abundant resident.”’ (Br. p. 10.) 
Mr. Newsteap notes: ‘‘I saw immense flocks of these birds 
in the Eaton Woods, on December 138, 1898, and on inquiry found 
that they had been there for some time. Probably the greater 
