453 



PINTAIL. 

 Dafila acuta (Z). 



Winter and spring visitant, not numerous. Rare inland. 



The first notice of this duck in reference to Yorkshire 

 appears to be made in Denny's Leeds Catalogue (1840), 

 where it is stated to be rare. 



Thomas Allis, in 1844, wrote : — 



Anas acuta. — Pintail Duck — H. Denny reports it as having been 

 met with at Walton and Scarthingwell ; it is sometimes obtained near 

 York. A. Strickland says ' This bird appears never to have been so 

 abundant in this country in proportion to the rest of the tribe as it 

 appears to be in the south of England, but it is occasionally met with 

 in the winter.' 



Half a century ago, the Pintail was a numerous species 

 in the Tees, where, as Geo. Mussell tells me, it was greatly 

 sought after by the professional gunners, who would not 

 trouble with other fowl if they could get the Pintail, and, as 

 it was most plentiful in May, and no restrictions were at that 

 time placed upon shooting, great numbers of this delicious 

 duck were procured and brought into market. 



It is now, however, by no means abundant, occurring 

 as a visitant, sparingly on the coast, from October onwards 

 to spring. Two pairs remained on the warren pond at Kilnsea 

 until 4th May in 1881, and an example in immature plumage 

 was captured at Spurn on the 12th of the same month in 1888. 

 It is occasionally obtained in the Humber and at other 

 coast stations, as Flamborough, Scarborough, Whitby, and 

 the Teesmouth, and has been met with at various inland 

 localities in addition to those referred to by Allis. It is 

 perhaps needless to give these in detail, and it may suffice 

 to mention a few of the reported instances of its occurrence. 

 It is enumerated amongst the birds visiting Doncaster Carrs 

 in Hugh Reid's time, and has been taken at Escrick and 

 Hornby Decoys. It used to occur on the river Hull near 

 Beverley pretty regularly in the late spring months, but is 

 now seldom met with ; it has been obtained at East Cotting- 



