ANATID.E. 207 



I am only aware of one instance of its occurrence 

 in these counties, and for this I am indebted to Mr. 

 Sharpe, who has supplied me with so many interesting 

 notes. The bird in question was shot during the 

 winter of 1866-67 on tne river near Maidenhead, 

 and was preserved by Mr. Wilmot, the birdstuffer 

 of that town. 



SMEW (Mergus albellus). The Smew, or White 

 Nun, is a rare visitor to Berkshire and Bucking- 

 hamshire, and when it does occur it is almost in- 

 variably during very severe weather. Adult males 

 are very rarely met with, the majority of the 

 stragglers that are shot being immature birds. In 

 the winter of 1850-51, however, a very fine adult 

 male of this species was killed on the Thames near 

 Boveney Locks by a person named Hall, who after- 

 wards had it stuffed in Windsor. Stragglers have 

 occasionally been shot near Surley Hall, and in the 

 neighbourhood of Maidenhead. In the winter of 

 1861-62 a flock of five were seen by Mr. Harpur 

 Crewe at the Wilstone reservoir, where they 

 remained several days. 



Mr. Drye told me of a male in fine plumage, 

 which was shot on the river near Monkey Island 

 by Thomas Holeman, of Dorney, who sold it for a 

 sovereign. 



It would appear from a statement in Bewick's 

 ' British Birds,' that in Norfolk Smews used to be 

 taken in the spring, as a person named Bonfellow, 



