AND NEIGHBOURHOOD. 205 



to allow of a close approach unseen, but on coming 

 to the waterside no bird was visible. We both stood 

 ready for quite a minute, under the impression that 

 the birds were under water, as Avas indeed the case, 

 as they rose together within a few yards of the spot 

 whence we had first seen them, and of course far out 

 of shot. All three of these birds were in the dull 

 plumage of youth, at least, there was certainly not 

 an adult male amongst them. My readers will 

 readily believe that we felt considerably " sold," and 

 we never met with our three deceivers again. 



I have a pair of this species in my local collection, 

 the female shot by my brother on the river above 

 Tichmarsh Mill on December 24, 1858, and the male 

 purchased in skin of Mr. H. Field, of Kettering, who 

 informs me that it was shot near that town early in 

 April 1890. 



The Merganser breeds in considerable numbers 

 about many of the larger lakes of the Highlands of 

 Scotland and Ireland. I found it in abundance 

 amongst the stony islands of Lough Corrib in early 

 summer. In that locality the bird is, or was, known 

 by the name " Skeld Duck," whilst in the north of 

 Ireland I found that the usual appellation for it was 

 " Scale Duck." On those parts of our English coasts 

 where the Merganser is a more or less common 

 winter visitor, I think that it is generally known 

 as "Saw-bill"; I have also heard it called " Jack- 

 awake." The nests of this species are generally well 

 concealed amongst masses of rock or boulder-stones 

 overgrown with heather, brambles, and other low 

 and vigorous vegetation ; I have heard of the 

 finding of eggs in a rabbit's burrow. The eggs 

 are generally seven or eight in number, and some- 



