ANATIDyE. 121 



Many do not know the Wild Swan from the Mute 

 or tame species, but the chief distinction is the bill, 

 which in the domestic bird has the base brownish- 

 black and the extremity yellow, and in the Wild Swan 

 vice versa, the base being yellow and extremity black. 



Shoveler (Alias clypeatd). This handsome bird 

 has occurred in various parts of the two counties, where 

 it is a winter visitor, although not a common one. 



In 1855 a male was killed by Mr. Newman, on the 

 river Thames at Datchet. Another male Shoveler 

 was shot by Mr. Howard, of Burnham, in the winter 

 of 1862-63, at Hay mill-pond in Burnham parish; he 

 had it stuffed, and I examined it at his house. In 

 1867 an adult female of this species was procured 

 near Wraysbury towards the end of September — an 

 early date for this bird to come so far south. I am 

 informed by the Rev. H. Harpur Crewe that small 

 flocks of the Shoveler visit the reservoirs at Wilstone, 

 Marsworth, and Weston Turville, during inclement 

 seasons, but it is never a common bird there. 



Gadwall {A lias strepera). The Gad wall, or Grey 

 Duck, is an uncommon bird, and is only introduced 

 here as a winter visitant on the authority of the Rev. 

 H. Harpur Crewe, of Drayton Beauchamp, who wrote 

 me word that this species has occasionally been killed 

 on the reservoirs at Marsworth and Wilstone. 



Montagu says that this bird is supposed to breed 

 in Sweden and Russia, and probably in Siberia, being 

 found in those countries in spring. The Gadwall is 



