122 THE FOWLER IN IRELAND. 



that during his long experience he has only received 

 one specimen of this bird, and that some years 

 ago. 



The large black and white fan-shaped crest is 

 very striking and quaint, and the chief beauty of 

 the bird lies in this peculiarity. From what I saw 

 of those I shot, they appeared to fly faster and with 

 a more darting motion than other Mergansers, and 

 though diving with equal facility, not excelling their 

 congeners. 



On one occasion a Hooded Merganser that I 

 had crippled made no effort to dive, but swam low 

 in the water like a wounded Teal with the crest laid 

 flat and smooth, the head looking small and black, 

 very different to its usually handsome and bushy 

 aspect. 



Two of these birds haunted a creek in company 

 with some Redbreasted Mergansers, and though 

 I had ample chances of observing their motions, 

 feeding and flying, through a glass, they were too 

 wild to get within range of. At length, after many 

 attempts, I was one day fortunate in finding them 

 deserted by their companions, and shot them both. 

 The third bird, though wounded near the shore, 

 was eventually killed two miles from land after a 

 long chase. 



Judging from the pictures given of them in 

 illustrated works, both this bird and the Smew are 

 much smaller than might be supposed therefrom. 

 The body of the adult male of either species is less 

 than that of a female Wigeon, and not bigger in 

 bulk than a fine Teal. 



THE SMEW (Mergus albellus] is an uncommon 



