M E R 
trees and hedges. The French denominate it the 
hanneton; and in England it is known by the 
names of cock-chaffer, dorr, and feveral others. 
The name Melolanthus was firft given to this 
ink£t by Ariftotle; and it feems to be derived 
from it's feeding on the blofibms of the crab or 
wild apple. The grubs of thefe beetles are fre- 
quently very injurious to every fpecies of vegeta- 
ble produflion, by working under ground. In 
Ireland, fuch numbers have fometimes appeared in 
the winged ftate, that they have obtained the name 
of locufts from the vulgar. The firft time they 
vifited that ifland in fuch numbers, of which we 
have any account, was in 1688 : they then appeared 
in the fouth-weft part of the county of Galway; 
and, carried on their way by the wind, they foon 
fpread over the interior parts of that county, and 
were feen everywhere in inconceivable quantities. 
They ufually remained quiet in the day-time; but 
were feen covering the leaves and branches of trees 
and hedges, and in many places hanging in prodi- 
gious cluflers, after the manner of bees when 
fwarmine. Immediately after fun-fet, they left 
the hedges; and taking wing, collefted in bodies, 
making a confufed humming noife like tliat of 
diftant drums. They fometimes formed them- 
felves into fuch large bodies, as to darken the very 
air for three or four miles fquare. At other times, 
they flew fo very low, that it was fcarcely pofTi- 
ble for a perfon to make his way through them; 
and, by ftriking againft the faces and necks of 
women and children, they left very difagreeable 
marks behind them. This, however, was but a 
trifling inconvenience, when compared with the 
mifchief they did in the fields, for they foon ftript 
the trees of their leaves, and deftroyed every mark 
of verdure. 
MERGANSER. A large water-fowl, called 
alfo the gooiander, and by fome the harle. In the 
Linnaean fyflem, it is the Mergus Merganfcr. 
The bill of the male is about three inches long, 
narrow, and finely ferrated ; the colour of the bill, 
as well as of the irides, is red ; the head is large, 
and the feathers on the hind-part are long, loofc, 
and of a black colour beautifully glofled with 
green; the upper part of the neck is of the fame 
hue; the lower part, and the under-fide of the 
body, are a fine pale yellow; the upper part of the 
back and the inner fcapulars are black; and the 
lower part of the back and the tail are afh- coloured. 
The tail confifts of eighteen feathers; the greater 
quill-feathers are black, the lelTer being white, and 
fome of them edged with black; the coverts at the 
infertion of the wings are black, the reft being white ; 
and the legs are of a deep orange-colour. The 
female of this fpecies is called the dun-diver. 
Thefe birds frequent our rivers and lakes, efpe- 
cially in fevere winters. During the fummer iea- 
fon, they retire far north, for the purpofe of breed- 
ing; and are never feen in the fouthern parts of 
Great Britain. They live almoft entirely on fifh ; 
which communicates fuch a ranknefs to their 
flefb, that it is fcarcely eatable. 
MERGUS. A diftinft genus of birds of the 
order of anferes in the Linnsean fyftem. The 
diflinguiihing charafteriflic of this genus is, that 
the beak is fomewhat cylindric, and has a crooked 
point. But, according to Ray, the characters are 
thefe : the feet are webbed, the three fore-toes be- 
ing connected by a membrane, but the hinder one 
left loofe; and the beak is narrow, hooked at the 
extremity, and ferrated. There are feveral fpecies 
belonging to this genus. 
MERGUS CIRRATUS MINOR. An ap- 
pellation given by Gefner to the Capo Negro, a 
fpecies of duck, called in Engiifn the tv.ftcd 
duck. 
_ MERLANGUS. A name given by Bello- 
nius, and fome other writers, to a finall Ipecies of 
whiting, the Afellus Mollis; chilled by the Vene- 
tians Mollo, and by fome nations the Capelon. 
MERLANUS. A nam.e by which fome ich- 
thyologifts have cxprefTed the common whicing, 
the afellus mollis five albus. 
MERLIN. A bird of the falcon kind ; called 
alfo i^lfaton, Smerlus, and Merlina. The Mer- 
lin does not breed in this ifland, but migrates here 
in Oftober, about the time that the hobby difap- 
pears. It flies low, and is often feen flamming 
from one fide of a hedge to the other in fearch of 
prey. It's length is about twelve inches, and it's 
breadth twenty-five. The bill is of a blueifn lead- 
colour; the irides are very dark, almoft black; 
the head is ferruginous ; and each feather is marked 
with a blueifh black flreak along the fhaft. The 
back and wings are of a deep blueifh afh-colour, 
adorned with ferruginous ftreaks and fpots, and 
edged witli the fame ; and the quill-feathers are 
almoft black, marked with reddifli oval fpots. 
The tail is five inches long, crofied with alternate 
bars of dufky and reddifli clay-colour-, the breafl 
and belly are of a yellov/ifii white hue, marked 
with oblong brown fpots pointing downwards; 
and the legs are yellow. 
This bird was formerly ufed in hawking; and 
though fmall, is inferior to none. It was alfo em- 
ployed in taking partridges, which it comnionly 
killed by a fingle ftroke on the neck. 
MERLUCIUS ; the Gadus Merlucius of IJn- 
nfEus. A claflical appellation for the hake, called 
alfo the afellus alter. It is a pretty large fifli, 
fometimes meafuring upwards of two feet : it re- 
iembles the pike in figure; and hence it's name 
Merlucius, quafi maris lucius, the fea-pike. The 
back is of a pale greyifh hue, and the belly a dirty 
white; the head is flat and broad; the mouth is 
very wide; and the teeth are long and fharp, par- 
ticularly thofe of the lower jaw. The fcales are 
fmall; and the tail is even at the extremity. 
The Merlucius, or hake, is caught in the Eng- 
lifh and other feas; but being a coarfe fifh, it is 
feldom admitted to the tables of the opulent, either 
frefli or faked. 
There was formerly a ftationary fifhery of hake 
on the Nymph Bank, off the coaft of Waterford: 
two fnoals of thefe fifli appeared there twice in a 
year; of which prodigious quantities were faked, 
and fent to Spain, particularly to Bilboa. 
MERMAID. A marine animal fuppofed to 
be partly a fifh, and partly of the hunian fpecies. 
Many naturalifts difpute theexiftence of this crea- 
ture: on the contrary, others as ftrenuoufly aiKrm 
it; and if the teftimonies of particular v/riters may 
be credited, there feems to be fufHcient evidence 
to eftablifh it's reality. 
Larroy informs us that, in the year 1 187, fuch 
a monfter was fiflied up in the county of Sufixtlk, 
and kept by the governor for the fpace of fix 
months. It borefo near a refemblance to man, that 
nothing feemed wanting to compleat it's humanity 
but the ufe of reafbn and fpeech. One day, liow- 
ever, it found means to efieCt it's elcape; and, 
plunging into the lea, was never more heard of. 
We are told by Parival, that, in tlie year 1430, 
after a dreadful tempeft which broke dov;n the 
, banks that confine the fea in tlie United Trovinces, 
fome 
