PIKTAIL 831 



Genus DAFILA, Stephens. 

 PINTAIL. 



Dafila acuta (LimicTus). H.N., i., p. 202 (1766.) 



Boys, in 1792, includes tlie Pintail among the Birds 

 of Sandwich. There is an adult male in the British 

 Museum which was obtained in Kent, from Colonel 

 Montagu's collection. The Eev. J. Pemberton Bartlett, 

 in 1844, states that it "has been seen in Romney Marsh." 

 Dr. F. Plomley also obtained it in this locality. Mr. A. 

 Skinner, writing to the Zoologist, 1869, says: "A beautiful 

 specimen of this rare bird was shot about 5 miles from 

 Faversham, on January 1-5 ; it came alone from the sea 

 to some ' saltings.' " 



According to the Rev. C. H. Fielding it was found at 

 Cobham, in Kent, in 1881. Mr. W. Oxenden Hammond 

 procured it at Wingham. There is a male and a female 

 in the Maidstone Museum, obtained in Kent, from Mr. 

 G. Simmons' collection. Mr. G. Dowker also includes 

 it among the birds of the Stourmouth district. Mr. W. 

 Prentis says it " is much more common in the Eainham 

 Marshes and on the Medway." A solitary female Pintail 

 was seen on a pool of water in a wood at Puckinge on 

 April 7, 1906. On May 17 this bird was found in a 

 boggy place in another wood not far off. On March 28, 

 1907, a female Pintail was found on the same pool as 

 above mentioned, and presumed to be the same bird. 



