SPOONBILL. 407 



under the old name of " Sholarde " in the Northumberland 

 Household Book, begun in 1512, at Earl Percy's Castles of 

 Wressill and Lekinfield, where, in the list of birds to be 

 supplied for " my Lordes owne Mees " are " Sholardes," 

 the price fixed to be paid for them being 6d. Again, in the 

 list of expenses returned for the Lammas Assizes, in 1528, 

 during the Shrievalty of Sir John Neville of Chevet, near 

 Wakefield, are " 12 Shovelardes, 12s."* 

 Thomas Allis, in 1844, wrote : — 



Platalea leucorodia. — The Spoonbill — F. O. Morris records one 

 shot near Masham ; Dr. Farrar obtained a fresh killed specimen from 

 Staincross in July 1833, but, from the state of its wings, thinks it 

 must have escaped from confinement. 



The Spoonbill is a rare casual visitant from the Continent, 

 generally in spring or summer, the Yorkshire occurrences 

 being so few that full details regarding each instance, so 

 far as they are obtainable, may be set forth : — 



One in July 1833, at Staincross, was mentioned by Thomas 

 Allis in his Report, and also in Dr. Farrar's MS. (1844), though, 

 from the state of its wings, it was judged the bird might have 

 escaped from confinement. 



At Masham, as stated by Allis, one was obtained in 1844. 



An example recorded by J, Hogg {Zool. 1845, p. 1172), 

 killed some years previously on the Tees Marshes, may be a 

 Durham specimen, although, in the absence of accurate details, 

 it is permissible to mention the occurrence in the Yorkshire list. 



* In connection with this now obsolete name it may be of interest 

 to mention that, some years ago, at my request, Mr, J. E. Harting 

 investigated a case contained in the old Law Reports of Henry the 

 Eighth's reign, with the result that it was found " Shovelards " at 

 that time (1523), bred in company with Herons in the trees of Fulham 

 Palace grounds. It may not be unreasonable, therefore, to suppose 

 the bird may have nested in Yorkshire also at that period (see Harting. 

 Zool. 1886, p. 81 et seq.). Mr. F. Boyes says he has been told by a 

 very old sportsman that Spoonbills formerly bred in Leconfield Park, 

 near Beverley, the ancient seat of the Percy family, but he could get 

 no further information. The district is most suitable, adjoining, as 

 it does, the old Carrs of East Yorkshire, and Herons bred there up 

 to a recent period. 



VOL. II. D 



