434 THE BIRDS OF YORKSHIRE. 



flocks being then seen on the coast and in the estuaries ; 

 in the Fourth Migration Report is an entry to the effect that, 

 on I3th January 1882, a flock of three hundred was reported 

 from the Tees Light Vessel, and I have frequently noticed 

 parties of from thirty to upwards of a hundred individuals 

 at the Teesmouth, which arrive in April, remain for several 

 weeks, and then leave for their northern breeding quarters. 

 The Sheld-Duck is included in the list of victims killed by 

 flying against the Light ho*use at Spurn. 



Of local names, Shell, Skell or Skell-Duck are in general 

 use ; and Sly or Burrough (? Burrow) -Duck were used by 

 Tunstall (p. 99). 



[RUDDY SHELD-DUCK (Tadorna casarca, L.). The only 

 instance of the occurrence in Yorkshire of this southern species 

 is that mentioned in the " Handbook of Vertebrate Fauna 

 of Yorkshire," p. 55, as " killed at Cottingham some years ago, 

 and seen by Mr. H. B. Hewetson " ; but the circumstances 

 connected with this record are of so dubious a nature, that no 

 reliance is to be placed on them.] 



MALLARD. 

 Anas boscas (ZJ. 



Resident, local, abundant. Immense flights of migrants arrive 

 in autumn, and become distributed over the county. 



Historically, the connection of this bird with Yorkshire 

 is of great antiquity, for we find that, in the ordinances issued 

 by Royal proclamation as to the price of food in the City of 

 York in the year 1393, i6th Richard II, the Wild Duck was 

 put down at 4d. ; the same sum was fixed as the value of a 

 " Mallerde " at Hull in 1560 ; at the great banquet at Cawood, 

 in 1466, four thousand Mallards and Teal were provided ; 

 it figures in the Northumberland Household Book (1512), 

 the price being placed at 2d. ; and again at the marriage feast 



