RED-BREASTED MERGANSER. 393 



of these birds which are found in this country may be 

 considered but as winter visitors, which arrive here late in 

 autumn, and retire in spring to various parts of Scandinavia 

 and other high northern localities. In winter, particularly 

 during severe weather, they are not uncommon on our 

 coast, appearing to prefer bays and estuaries, but some- 

 times pursuing the course of rivers and visiting inland 

 waters. They do not confine themselves, in their visits, 

 to any particular counties. They frequent the eastern 

 coast as mentioned by Mr. Selby, in his catalogue of the 

 Birds of Northumberland and Durham ; Holy Island, and 

 the Fern Islands, being favourite localities. Thence they 

 pursue a course southwards by Yorkshire, Norfolk, and 

 Suffolk. The Rev. L. Jenyns told me that a female had 

 been killed in Bur well Fen, Cambridgeshire, in summer. 

 They are more rare on the shores of Kent, but visit 

 the Thames, where they are called Sawbills, in reference 

 to their conspicuously-toothed beak ; and Mr. Jesse sent 

 me a fine specimen that was shot during severe weather 

 above Putney Bridge. The Red-breasted Merganser is 

 included in the catalogues of the Birds of Dorsetshire ; I 

 have had specimens sent me from Devonshire. It has been 

 killed in Cornwall, and as high up the Severn as the vici- 

 nity of Worcester. Mr. Dillwyn has noticed its occurrence 

 at Swansea, and it has been obtained on the coasts of 

 North Wales and Lancashire. 



In reference to the breeding-stations of this species, Mr. 

 Thompson says it is indigenous to Ireland, nesting on 

 islets both of marine and fresh-water loughs. Pennant 

 has recorded its breeding in the Isle of Islay. Sir W. 

 Jar dine and Mr. Selby found nests of this species when on 

 a fishing excursion upon Loch Awe, in Argyleshire. One of 

 these nests was upon a small wooded island, placed among 



