8 



domestication, the proportions of the structure of the bird have 

 in time become altered. 



The White-eyed Pochard has never been met with in the north 

 of England, to my knowledge ; and I believe we are generally 

 indebted to the Continent for almost all the specimens we see of 

 this bird in collections. It was not uncommonly to be seen in 

 Leadenhall-market in spring, though rarely in autumn ; all I saw 

 were, I believe, foreigners. 



The Scaup Duck seems to be a hardy bird, and quite able to 

 take care of itself in the severest weather ; it prefers salt water, 

 and its food seems often to be tellinas, which it swallows whole, 

 the broken shells in the gizzard acting as sand to digest its food ; 

 in severe weather I have found even periwinkles (Turbo littoralix] 

 of considerable size in its gizzard. 



All sorts of Ducks seem to prefer still water to rivers and 

 burns, and it is generally only when in winter the former gets 

 frozen over that they are compelled by necessity to take the lat- 

 ter. So many, however, of those species that cannot last out 

 during a protracted storm depart at the approach of severe wea- 

 ther, that whatever happens to those which remain is of small 

 consequence : sufficient for Nature's purposes will have wintered 

 in safety, and so soon as their presence is required at their breed- 

 ing places they will be there. 



The migrations and partial migrations of birds seem intended 

 as a provision against the possibility of the species being exter- 

 minated or numerically seriously damaged by severe weather or 

 other accident in one locality. However wildfowl are distressed 

 by and persecuted during a storm, no sooner does it go than they 

 again appear in as great numbers as before, provided the food is 

 there for them. Though bad weather makes wild fowl comeat- 

 able, and consequently more are killed by being driven from the 

 places they usually resort to, a greater variety of species is ob- 

 servable during the times they are moving to and from their 

 breeding places. I have seen, during the month of March, the 

 following species on one piece of water the same day, which far 

 outnumber what could have been seen any month during win- 



