GADWALL. 371 



kinds.* In Norfolk, however, some thirty years ago the late 

 Eev. John Fountaiue transmitted a pair of pinioned birds 

 from his Southacre decoy to the lake at Narford, and not 

 only have their descendants multiplied, but their presence 

 has induced other perfectly wild Gadwalls to remain and 

 breed ; so that at the present time, on the carefully pre- 

 served estates of Mr. A. Fountaine at Narford Hall, Lord 

 Walsingham at Merton, and others, their numbers may 

 annually be computed, as the Editor is informed, at from 

 fourteen to fifteen hundred on one property alone : not to 

 mention the birds which have spread into the suitable 

 adjacent districts. The increase in their area may be con- 

 sidered to date, in the main, from the time when a much- 

 needed law prohibited the shooting of Wild Ducks in spring ; 

 for comparatively few, even of dwellers in the country, seem 

 to have realized how early many species of wild-fowl pair, 

 and that a Duck shot after the beginning of March means 

 a brood less in August. As regards the Garganey, however, 

 the various county records tend to show that, except in 

 Norfolk and one or two spots in the Midlands, it is only an 

 uncommon visitant from autumn to spring ; and when found 

 in the London markets, it is usually in April, occasionally 

 in October. Its occurrence in August has been recorded in 

 Eadnorshire, but as a rule on the west side of England it is 

 very rare at any time of year. 



In Scotland, according to Mr. R. Gray, the Gadwall has 

 frequently been met with, both on the east and west coasts ; 

 and on the latter it is probably not uncommon. It has been 

 noticed in the islands of the Inner and Outer Hebrides ; 

 and Messrs. Baikie and Heddle state that it is an irregular 

 visitant to the Orkneys. 



In Ireland, Sir R. Payne-Gallwey considers that Gadwalls 

 are far more frequent in winter than is generally supposed, 

 and he cites a considerable number of occurrences in various 

 districts. They are fresh-water-loving fowl, delighting in 



* ' The Field,' 25th July, 1868 ; reprinted in 'The Zoologist' for September 

 1868 ; also in Mr. Harting's ' Handbook of British Birds,' Introd. p. xxi. 

 (1872). 



