SHOVELER. 451 



killed on I5th December 1880, as recorded by Mr. T. M. 

 Lambert in the Field (i5th January 1881). 



Near Beverley, a pair, the female containing eggs the 

 size of peas, occurred on the river Hull (N. F. Dobree, Nat. 

 1882, p. 185). 



A male and female in the Hull Museum are believed to 

 be of local origin the former from the Scorborough col- 

 lection, while the latter was killed on the Humber in 

 December 1885. 



At Lowthorpe, one was taken in the winter of 1899. 



A female example, in the York Museum, was killed at 

 East Cottingwith in February 1892 (J. Backhouse, op. cit. 

 1892, p, 116). 



And lastly, in October 1896, three were obtained by a 

 punt-shooter at the Teesmouth ; all of which I afterwards 

 saw in the hands of Geo. Mussell of Middlesbrough. 



At Thirkleby Park, the residence of Sir Ralph Payne- 

 Gallwey, several young birds have been hatched, from eggs 

 sent by Lord Walsingham, and kept in a semi-wild state. 



SHOVELER. 

 Spatula clypeata (Z). 



Spring and autumn migrant, and occasionally a winter visitant, 

 but not numerous. Nests in one or two localities. 



Perhaps the earliest reference to the Shoveler as a county 

 species is in Fothergill's Wensleydale list, published in 

 Whitaker's " Richmondshire " (1823), where it is enumerated 

 amongst the birds noted in that district. 



As a breeding species this bird is very locally distributed, 

 but few places being at present known where it nests annually. 

 Hornsea Mere was, on the authority of Mr. Henry Milner, 

 mentioned by Hewitson in his " Eggs of British Birds " (1856, 

 Vol. ii. p. 400), as being a breeding resort, and one of the 

 keepers told Mr. F Boyes that he once found a nest prior 

 to 1881. Since that date occasional pairs have nested on 

 the mere, and it has frequently been observed there in the 



