226 BIRDS OP NORFOLK. 



or more males are invariably present, and in the past 

 season (1889) there have been three males and two 

 females. Although Mr. Napier only remembers smews 

 frequenting the lake at Holkham for the past fifteen 

 years, he thinks it probable that they have done so 

 much longer, as there is one in Lord Leicester's collec- 

 tion, killed there in January 1854. 



Sir Thomas Browne probably refers to this species 

 under the name of Mustela variegata :* " The variegated 

 or partiecoloured wesell, so called from the resemblance 

 it beareth vnto a wesell in the head." 



MERGUS SERRATOR, Linnus. 

 RED-BREASTED MERGANSER. 



All the birds of the genus Mergus are known to our 

 gunners as " Sawyers," and, says Sir Thomas Browne, 

 are " distinguished from, other diuers by a notable sawe 

 bill, to retaine its slipperie pray as liuing much upon 

 eeles, whereof wee have seldome fayled to find some in 

 their bellies." Probably those examined by the learned 

 doctor were killed in fresh water, to which they fre- 

 quently resort, occasionally following the courses of 

 rivers far inland, although they certainly do not with us 

 affect rivers and lakes so much as the goosander. 



Like all hard-weather fowl the young birds are much 

 more frequent than the adults, old males in their beau- 

 tiful mature plumage being decidedly scarce, and, as a 

 rule, only met with during severe weather, although, as 

 will be seen, this is not invariably the case. A notable 

 exception to this occurred in the third week in July, 

 1852, when an adult male in full plumage was observed 

 by Mr. J. H. Gurney flying over the Denes bordering 

 the beach to the north of the town of Lowestoft. The 



* This and other quotations from Sir Thomas Browne's papers, 

 have been corrected for me, according to the original MS., by 

 Professor Newton: 



