BRITISH BIRDS. 



351 



flesh is by some accounted rank and fishy; others 

 say that it is dry unpleasant food, and, in corro- 

 boration of this, quote the old vulgar proverb 

 " He who would regale the devil, might serve him 

 with Merganser and Cormorant." The author, in 

 some instances, has found these proverbs to be not 

 ^well founded ; but never having tasted of this parti- 

 cular species, he cannot hazard a contrary opinion. 

 The foregoing description w^as taken from a bird 

 in full plumage, with which this work was favoured 

 by the late Robert Pearson, Esq., of Newcastle, 

 2oth March, 1800. 



