BIRDS. 147 



Winsley, shot by Mr. J. Whitaker, November ist, 1889, 

 and now in his possession. This latter bird when first 

 seen had a mate. 



Shoveler Duck B. Easily recognised by its curious wide 

 Sfatula clypeata. and flat beak, whence it is called the 



" Spoonbill " (a name only properly 

 applied to one of the Heron tribe Plataka leucorodia, that 

 has never occurred in Shropshire). The inside of the 

 beak resembles a comb, and "the object of so singular an 

 apparatus is to sift water and mud for the sake of secur- 

 ing the insects and worms they contain." The Shoveler 

 is mostly an uncertain Winter visitor to this County. 

 Mr. Rocke observed a small party on a pool at Hopton 

 Heath during the winters of 1876 and 1877, an d one was 

 killed at Uffington about that time. Mr. H. F. Harries 

 reports that the Shoveler Duck used to nest on Shrawar- 

 dine Pool. Mr. Paddock says that a few remained at 

 Weston (Shifnal), all through the summers of 1895-6-7. 

 A very young bird was shot by Mr. Salter, at Hencote, 

 in August, 1869 evidently reared there. 



Pintail Duck B. Has occurred several times in winter, 

 Dafila acuta. near Ludlow, and other parts of the 



Oct. Mar. County. One was shot at Monkmoor, 



in January, 1892, and a young male 

 near Shrewsbury, in October, 1898. The bird takes its 

 name and is easily distinguished by the two long nar- 

 row feathers in the centre of the tail. A pair nested in 

 Oakley Park, in 1881. 



TEAL B. This is the smallest of our Ducks and seems to 



Querquedula cvtcca. be getting more numerous. It breeds 



regularly on many of our pools and 



