328 THE BIRDS OF KENT 



Bartletfc, in 1844, gives this bird the name of Tadonia 

 helloni, and states that it "has been seen in Komney 

 Marsh." It has been seen and obtained by Mr. W. 

 Oxenden Hammond at Wingham, the Eev. B. Austen 

 at Wahner, Dr. F. Plomley in Eomney Marsh, and Mr. 

 W. Prentis at Eainham. 



The following specimens are in the Maidstone Museum: 

 A male obtained by Mr. J. Parker in Komney Marsh, 

 about 1873-4 ; a female shot at Sheerness, January 27, 

 1887, by Mr. W. Cox ; a female shot by Mr. H. Payne 

 at Gillingham, November 3, 1893 ; and a male shot by 

 him on February 15, 1894, at the same place. 



Mr. T. Hepburn, in his Birds of North Kent, 1904, 

 states that " in the winter months there are generally 

 large mobs of Ducks to be seen on the Thames. For 

 the greater part they consist of the Wild Duck {Anas 

 boscas), but I have also distinguished at various times 

 the Common Sheld-Duck (Tadorna cornuta), the Pintail 

 {Dafila acuta), the Teal {Qnerquedula crecca), the Wigeon 

 {Mareca penelojje), and occasionally the Common Scoter 

 {(Edemia nigra) and the Scaup {Fuligula marila) ; and on 

 one occasion (February, 1904) I saw a small mob of Wild 

 Geese flying over from the Thames in the direction of 

 the Medway, but at too great a distance for me to be able 

 to distinguish the species. The Ducks are kept con- 

 tinually on the move by passing craft, and are in conse- 

 quence wild and shy, and not easy to get near; but, 

 concealed by the sea-wall, I had the good fortune to 

 watch for some time (February, 1904) a large flock of 

 fully 200 Sheld-Duck, with a small flock on the landward 

 side of them of about thirty Pintails. They ail floated 

 past within a distance of 30 yards (it was high tide at 

 the time) across a small inlet which rejoices in the name 



