428 
LIST OP NORFOLK BIRDS. 
287. Red-breasted Merganser (Afergus serrator). 
A winter visitant. The Merganser has been singularly rare of 
late, confirming what has been previously observed, viz., that when 
the Goosander is met with, this species is not. 
288. Smew {Mergus albellus). 
A winter visitant, which is once known to have been met with 
as late as the 25th of April (Stevenson, Trans. Norfolk and 
Norwich Nat. Soc. vol. hi. p. 548). Adult males are seldom or 
never obtained before Christmas : males in change have occurred, 
but are rare at any time. In January, 1871, the Smew was 
unusually abundant, owing, it was supposed, to the very severe 
weather; Mr. Stevenson recording no less than ten, of which 
seven were adult (‘Zoologist,’ 1871, p. 2600). 
[11. Hooded Merganser {Mergus cucullatus). 
Reasons, which it must be confessed are cogent, for doubting 
a Hooded Merganser said to have been killed at 
Yarmouth in 1829, are given by Professor Newton 
in our ‘Transactions,’ (vol. ii. p. 408). The only other 
claim we can advance, and that a slender one, is in behalf 
of J. D. Hoy’s adult male, recorded by the late 
Edward Blyth, and believed to have been obtained in 
Norfolk at a date prior to 1838 (‘Naturalist,’ vol. hi. 
p. 413), considered by Bree to be still in the Hoy 
collection (c/. ‘Field,’ December 14th, 1867)]. 
In compiling the foregoing list we have been careful to exclude 
all species (with two exceptions) which may have been derived 
from imported stock, or which have not undoubtedly occurred in a 
state of nature on at least one occasion in the county of Norfolk. 
The exceptions referred to are the Red-legged Partridge and the 
Mute Swan; the former has become so thoroughly acclimatised, 
and is so widely distributed in this county that it may be 
considered as fully naturalised, and the same may be said with 
even greater force of the Mute Swan. This has necessitated the 
omission of the Canada and Egyptian Geese for the first reason, also 
of the Pine Gro.sbeak and Great White Heron, wliich were included 
in Mr. Stevenson’s list of 1883 on what, it is now admitted, was 
