THE SHOVELER. 147 



penalties, there is no reason why this and other species 

 of fowl should not breed with us as numerously as at any 

 period within the present century. On Hoveton Broad 

 I saw a cock shoveler, on the 27th of April, 1874; and 

 a pair were seen there by Mr. Silcock, on the 12th of 

 May, 1877. Mr. Blofeld, also, informs me that young 

 birds are almost always killed in July with other flap- 

 pers, but neither "old nor young are ever seen in winter. 

 About Stalham and Button, though the broads there 

 exist rather in name than reality, being nearly grown 

 up, Mr. B. C. Silcock believes that the shoveler still 

 breeds, at least occasionally, being a regular visitant in 

 spring. He saw a pair at Sutton as late as the 18th of 

 April, in 1872, and at Stalham on the 16th March, 1876, 

 but has never -found the nest. At Irstead, Mr. F. 

 Norgate knew of one nest in 1874, but doubts if this 

 species has bred since either at Barton or Irstead; 

 but at Neatishead he heard of a " shovel-billed duck's " 

 nest as recently as June, 1876. Ludham broad, in 

 the same neighbourhood, is now "a thing of the 

 past," no longer, Mr. Silcock informs me, a haunt 

 for fowl. In the summer of 1872, when visiting the 

 the two broads at South Walsham I made particular 

 enquiries after this species and the garganey, of Mr. 

 Jary's keeper who knew of no recent instance of either 

 nesting there ; but at Ran worth shovelers are still met 

 with in summer, and protected, as I believe they are 

 on their arrival in spring, will have cause to rejoice 

 over the dismantled pipes of the decoy in which, on the 

 25th of March, 1863, I saw three or four couples with 

 other fowl, several having been netted and sent to 

 Norwich market only the week before. 



Mr. E. T. Booth when at Potter Heigham early in 



July, 1875, found a " coil " of seven shovelers which, 



with young garganey, teal, and wild ducks 3 seen at the 



same time, were bred, no doubt, in the marshes adjoining 



v2 



