142 BIRDS OP NORFOLK. 



in character exactly resemble.d the first, and in the 

 scantiness of the materials used, exposing the bare soil, 

 agreed exactly with Mr. Salmon's description. There 

 could be little doubt that the owner of this nest was the 

 female shoveler that rose within a few yards of it from 

 a clump of sedges, and flew round and over us in a great 

 state of excitement, settling at no great distance on the 

 water as we pulled out into the mere, and, after two or 

 three more hesitating flights, dropping suddenly into the 

 very shelter from which we had disturbed her. Messrs. 

 Sheppard and Whitear, also, describe two nests found 

 in the Winterton marshes as each " placed in a tuft of 

 grass where the ground was quite dry, and made of fine 

 grass," and add, "when the female begins to sit she 

 covers her eggs with down plucked from her own body," 

 but the amount used, judging by the two nests I 

 found at Thompson, is but little in comparison with 

 the snug warm nest of the garganey. 



From Thompson, the same day, I drove to Wretham, 

 distant about four miles, where, from the extreme 

 drought, I found the three meres'* on the open heath 

 JRingmere, Langmere, and Foulmere completely dried 

 up, but here, as well as on the more private 

 waters adjoining Mr. Birch's residence, no doubt the 

 shoveler nested formerly, as at the present time, in 

 favourable seasons. Mr. Edward Newton, when staying 

 at Wretham in the autumn of 1853, was told by 

 Mr. Birch that a hen shoveler had hatched and 

 brought off her young near the hall some years before, 

 and others were known to be on East Wretham heath 

 that year. A pair had been seen late in the spring, 

 and orders were given to the keeper not to shoot them. 

 Mr. A. W. Partridge observed this species at Wretham 



For a further description of these meres see " Trans. Norf. 

 and Nor. Nat, Society" vol. i. 1869-70. 



