120 THE FOWLER IN IRELAND. 



her eggs in the crevice of a bank, and with the sea- 

 pink growing around. I learn from Mr. Warren 

 that Redbreasted Mergansers breed also in Lough 

 Conn, and Lough Cullen, county Mayo. This 

 species may be seen late in the spring, and long 

 after other wildfowl have departed. I have noted 

 them on the coast in May, and Mr. Warren 

 tells me that he saw thirty-seven together May 

 2Oth, 1 88 1, in the Moy estuary. They appear 



THE REDBREASTED MERGANSER. 



again in plenty by November ist. By April the 

 ist they present a very light and grey dappled 

 plumage, and then appear almost white against a 

 dark background. They are termed " Shelduck " 

 by the fishermen and fowlers on the inland lakes, 

 who, as a rule, have never seen or heard of the true 

 Shelduck (Tadorna\ a circumstance which favours 

 the suggestion already made under the head of 

 that species, that the name is derived from the word 



