WATER BIRDS. 229 



it, he threw a hayfork, which he had in his hand at the 

 'time, at the bird, and one of the prongs entering its 

 neck, he secured his prize without further trouble. The 

 little bird was in good flesh and plumage, but from its 

 making no attempt to escape when first seen, I imagine 

 it was exhausted with its southern journey. A few 

 days after this a Razorbill (Alca torda) was seen on the 

 Trent at Nottingham, and was shot, the severe weather 

 having forced both these out of their usual course. 



I have often wondered that attractions like ours have 

 not brought the Cormorant (Carbo eormoranus) more 

 into our neighbourhood. I am only aware of one, and 

 that was on Thoresby Lake, and it was soon shot. This 

 was in August, 1 864. The swans regarded the stranger 

 with evident dislike, and chased it whenever he came 

 near. 



The Shag (Carbo cristatus) I have known occur once, 

 a pair in immature plumage having been shot on the 

 Trent, at Burton Joyce, in the summer of 1851. 



Although greatly circumscribed in its habitat, yet the 

 Gannet (Sula bassana) is sometimes driven from its 

 ocean home and found far inland. In ] 837 a male bird, 

 in mature plumage, was seen on the lake in Wei beck 

 Park, and shot at, but being only injured in one wing, 

 it was captured and kept alive for some time on a small 

 pond. Here, while it lived, it fiercely defended its 

 limited dominions against all comers, and with unvary- 

 ing success, for no intruders ventured to face bis sharply 

 pointed bill. In 1849 three others were seen together 

 at Hexgrave, a few miles from Ollertoii. They were 

 resting in a field, and permitted themselves to be 

 approached without difficulty, when one of them was 



