THE HOODED MERGANSER. 121 



sheld, meaning" pied, or particoloured, a term equally 

 appropriate to the Merganser. " Spear Wigeon " 

 is another name bestowed on the latter bird on 

 account of its sharp serrated bill. 



THE HOODED MERGANSER (Mergus cucullatus) 

 is a rare visitor from America, and I am not aware 

 that an Irish-killed specimen exists in any public 

 museum in Ireland. There is one specimen of this 

 Merganser in Mr. Chute's collection of Kerry birds 

 at Chute Hall, Tralee ; and Waters (an accurate 



THE HOODED MERGANSER. 



compiler), in his " Natural History of the Birds of 

 Ireland," 1853, has noted another shot in Ireland, 

 in the possession of Sir R. Levinge. 



I have obtained three. One pair was procured 

 in the severe frost of December 1878, in Cork 

 Harbour, and the other bird in the yet more severe 

 weather of January 1881, on the north coast of 

 Kerry. I heard of a solitary bird of this species 

 being shot near Sligo the same winter, but I believe 

 it was not preserved. 



Mr. Glennon, the Dublin bird-stuffer, informs me 



