202 THE BIRDS OF BERKS AND BUCKS. 



an old musket, on the look-out for ducks, he saw 

 a large dark-coloured bird fighting with some Swans 

 in the middle of the river, and apparently being 

 worsted in the encounter. On Haverly's appearance 

 the bird rose, and flew past him towards Windsor, 

 following the bends of the river in its flight. 

 Haverly shot at it, but it flew about six hundred 

 yards before falling, which it eventually did on the 

 Buckinghamshire side of the river, at a spot called 

 Clewer Point. It was not quite dead, and showed so 

 much resistance that it required some considerable 

 strength to despatch it. It was preserved by a man 

 named Drye, in Eton, and on dissecting it the 

 stomach was found to contain some green fresh- 

 water weeds, and a piece of brass, together with 

 some small stones and particles of gravel. It is 

 now set up in a glass case, and is still in the pos- 

 session of Haverly. 



When inspecting the bird at his house I noted 

 down the following description : — Bill, dull reddish 

 orange, with horny protuberance at the base of the 

 upper mandible ; head, on the crown, blackish brown ; 

 neck white, with dark brown streaks and blotches ; 

 chin and throat, whitey-brown ; eyes black, with a 

 yellow rim ; the wings of a lovely dark-green bronze 

 colour, with white feathers here and there, and the 

 upper edges of the wings were pure white ; the spur, 

 horn colour, and darker at the base than at the tip ; 

 tail, dark bronze, appearing green and bright purple 



