46o THE BIRDS OF YORKSHIRE. 



and, though it may be a difficult task to disprove this statement, 

 I propose to lay before my readers the evidence supplied in 

 support of the assumption that Yorkshire can claim the Wigeon 

 as a nesting species. 



Allis's friend, Arthur Strickland, gave no confirmation 

 of his belief that it formerly bred in his district, Bridlington, 

 (see the Report), and the first instance which I need mention 

 is vouched for by Mr. Thomas Stephenson, who informed 

 Mr. W. Eagle Clarke in 1881 that it nested regularly in Fen Bog, 

 near Whitby; the nest had repeatedly been seen by J. Kitching, 

 who had that year found one containing eleven eggs, and 

 handled the female which had been shot off the nest ; the 

 residents in the neighbourhood had several times taken eggs 

 and set them under domesticated ducks, but never reared 

 any young ones. Kitching was quite firm in his assertion as 

 to its identity, as he knew the bird well. Mr. Stephenson 

 has personally corroborated this statement to me, but it is 

 to be feared there is now no possibility of obtaining absolute 

 proof, as Kitching is dead, and the birds have not been seen 

 at the nesting place for several years past. 



The following circumstantial, but somewhat doubtful, 

 account is communicated by Mr. Thomas Raine who, in 

 a letter dated 25th February 1902, says that on ist May 

 1897, he saw a Wigeon fly from a patch of heather on Skip- 

 with Common, and discovered the nest with twelve eggs. 

 A third occurrence was at Malham Tarn, where, as Mr. A. 

 Ward informs me, a pair bred in the year 1901 ; my informant 

 saw both old and young birds on the lake. 



In a semi-domesticated state, the Wigeon has frequently 

 nested on Sir Ralph Payne-Gallwey's estate at Thirkleby 

 Park ; in 1886 there were four pairs nesting there. On Mr. 

 W. H. St. Quintin's property at Scampston, also, it has bred 

 under similar conditions, and outlying nests belonging to birds 

 from that locality have been found at a few miles' distance. 



In east Yorkshire, whenever the Carrs become flooded 

 by continuous heavy rains, the Wigeon leave the Humber 

 and come inland in flocks, and in former days they were 

 frequently captured in the Decoys ; in the North Riding, 



