58 CATALOGUE OF BIRDS. 



feeding at the edge of some seaweed-covered rocks. 

 They are naturally a shy and timid species, and 

 consequently very difficult of approach. Michael 

 Casey, however, was up to every stratagem, so 

 when he saw their position, he so disguised his boat 

 by piling up masses of seaweed all over it, that when 

 he dropped gently down with the tide to where they 

 were, the birds allowed him to come within a 

 reasonable distance of them — say to about 70 yards, 

 I never saw anything prettier or more clever in my 

 life. As soon as he loosed off, there were one or two 

 wounded to polish off, these I followed up in my 

 boat. 



The drake in the case wanted several shots 

 before he would succumb. 



This species '' breeds abundantly in the northern 

 portions of Europe " and in the "cold season it is 

 found over the rest of the Continent as well as in 

 Northern Africa, Egypt, Asia Minor, and the 

 Indian region as far south as Borneo, China, and 

 Japan " (H.S.). 



CASE 8. 



THE GADWALL. 



Order, Anseres. Family, Anatidce. 



This species is a comparatively rare visitor to the 

 British Islands. There are only two places where 

 they may be said to breed in any number — the 



