450 



GADWALL. 

 Anas strepera (Z.). 



Winter visitant, of rare occurrence. 



This species nests in northern and central Europe, 

 migrating in winter to Asia and Africa. 



The first mention of it in Yorkshire is in Denny's Leeds 

 Catalogue, 1840, where it is stated that one occurred at 

 Swillington, near Leeds. 



Thomas Allis, 1844, wrote : — 



Tadorna strepera. — Gad wall — Often bought, according to F. O. 

 Morris, in Doncaster Market ; query are they Yorkshire birds ? Hugh 

 Reid of Doncaster says a pair were shot near there in the spring of 

 this year, and are now in his possession ; this does not appear like 

 its being common there ; it is quite a rare bird near York, but it is 

 sometimes met with ; has been obtained at Swillington, near Leeds, 

 but is rare in that part. Arthur Strickland says " Notwithstanding 

 the close attention to the Duck tribe, I have never met with an instance 

 of this species being killed in this county." 



The Gadwall is but a casual visitant in winter, having 

 occurred on the following occasions : — 



At Swillington, prior to 1840, as mentioned above. 



Mr. W. Backhouse had a specimen, on i8th February 1843, 

 from the Teesmouth {Zool. 1846, p. 1263). 



In the spring of 1844 a pair was obtained at Doncaster 

 (see Allis, above). 



On the Humber, a pair was killed on loth March 1851 

 (Morris, " Brit. Birds "). 



In the winter of 1856-57, an example was captured on 

 the Hornby Castle Decoy. 



In Matthewman's Selby List (1858), one is mentioned. 



Mr. Fred Boyes, writing to the Zoologist (1871, p. 2525), 

 says a fine drake was shot on 31st January 1871, at Skerne, 

 near Driffield, and passed into the possession of Mr. F. Hoare 

 of Tranby Park. 



At Helpholme, in Holderness, a male was reported in 1876. 



A party of four females was seen near York, one being 



