208 THE BIRDS 01 NORTHAMPTONSHIRE 



The late Mr, John Wolley has given a most 

 interesting account of the discovery of the first 

 authenticated eggs of this species on record in 

 'The Ibis 'for 1859, of which account those who 

 take an interest in the subject will find a copious 

 extract in the 4th edition of Yarrell, vol. iv. ; these 

 eggs were found in Finnish Lapland in June 1857, 

 and to a certain extent resembled those of the 

 Wigeon ; the nest was in a hollow birch-stump. 

 The only note that I have ever heard uttered by 

 the Smew is a short hissing whistle produced by the 

 males. My living birds of this species naturally 

 prefer fish to any other food, but will also greedily 

 devour raw meat, and have no objection to a share in 

 the vegetable food provided for the other water-fowl 

 to whom it is more strictly suitable. 



Whilst the present issue of my ' Notes ' was in the 

 press, during January 1895, I was assured by the 

 falconer at Lilford that he saw an adult male and 

 two other Smews on the Nen below the house on the 

 12th and 14th of the month above named. 



197. COMMON CORMORANT. 



Flialacrocorax carho. 



I have but few records of the occurrence of the 

 Cormorant in our district ; Morton alludes to it 

 in the following words — " The Cormorant : Corvus 

 aquaticiis. This, as I am told, has been shot in 

 Fawsley Lordship." There was a young specimen 

 preserved at Burghley when I paid my first visit 

 there in 1855, which, as I was informed by the late 

 Marquess of Exeter, had been killed many years 



