MISCELLANIES. 55 



struck by the flocks that remained about us in winter, and the havoc made 

 amongst them by the pseudo-sportsmen of Doncaster. I fear Larks are held 

 delicacies further north than Dunstable. — W. R. S. Doncaster, March 7, 1837 



Notes on the Duck Family (Anatidse). — Some years ago I had the plea- 

 sure of keeping a great variety of wild fowl. I found I could not long preserve the 

 Shoveller in good health, and even the Redheaded Pochards (Fuligula ferina) 

 did not survive a second summer, although they had a beautiful stream of water 

 constantly running through their inclosure. At the time of moulting there is 

 great danger of losing the birds if they happen to be suddenly disturbed, for at 

 this period they are able to fly, notwithstanding their being pinioned. One of my male 

 Teals escaped from the inclosure in the moulting season, when it had lost the quill 

 feathers from the wing not pinioned. After being absent during the summer, 

 nearly six months, it returned, and remained with me through the winter. In 

 the spring I was obliged to shorten its pinion. — When the birds are just caught, 

 it is astonishing what a small piece cut off from one wing will effectually prevent 

 their flying ; but after they had once moulted, I always found it necessary again 

 to shorten the pinion.— With the exception of a pair of Shieldrakes — which one 

 season brought forth four young ones, and these all died in a fortnight — none of 

 my Ducks ever laid an egg, which was the principal object of my keeping them. 

 The Wigeons, Teals, Garganys, Gadwalls, and wild Common Ducks, always 

 paired at the approach of spring, and continued so through the summer ; still 

 they never offered to make any nests, although there were plenty of materials for 

 the purpose, and the spot was perfectly retired. — A pair of tame Common Ducks, 

 which I kept with the wild fowl, hatched a lot of half-bred wild Ducks, with, 

 apparently, no admixture of any other species. — J. D. Salmon, Thetford, Nor- 

 folk, March 10, 1837- [J We thank our correspondents for the above communica- 

 tions ; and shall be happy to receive contributions of a similar character, on the 

 other departments of Zoology. — Ed.] 



BOTANY. 



Rare Flowering- Plants found near Doncaster. — The following are 

 some of the rarer early flowering plants found near Doncaster : — Yellow Figwort, 

 Scrophularia vernalis, April and May ; Yellow Star-of-Bethlehem, Ornithogalum 

 luteurn, April ; Wild Tulip, Tulipa sglvestris, April ; Green Hellebore, Hellc- 

 horus viridis, April and May ; Stinking Hellebore, H. fcetidus, March and April. — 

 W. R. S. March 7, 1837. 



