390 ANATIDJ!. 



of these birds which are found in this country may be con- 

 sidered but as winter visiters, 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 Burwell 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 vicinity 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, nestling on 

 islets both of marine and fresh-water loughs. Pennant 

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

 Jardine 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 



