CATALOGUE OF BIRDS. 97 



company with Bedshanks and other Waders, generally 

 fall easy victims to the punt-gunners. 

 " Their loud whistle is often distinguished at night, 

 among the calls of the various species of mudbirds 

 which may be heard during stormy weather in the 

 autumn. 



The specimens were shot on Breydon mudflats, near 

 Yarmouth, in September, 1872. 



SHOVELLER. (MATURE.) 



Case 99. 



This handsome bird may be found from north to 

 south, though nowhere particularly abundant : it nests 

 in several different counties, and its numbers receive 

 considerable additions from the continent in the begin- 

 ning of the winter. 



I was particularly unlucky with the finest drake of 

 this species I ever killed. Just at daybreak I made 

 out a pair feeding among the water-plants on Heigham 

 Sounds, and, sculling quietly up within distance, I 

 fired with good effect, stopping both birds, but on 

 proceeding to the spot I discovered that the oakum 

 wad of the punt-gun having struck the male on the 

 neck had completely blown away his head, the remains 

 of which I found lying with the wad about twenty 

 yards distant from the body. The colours in that 

 specimen were by far the brightest and most clearly 

 defined that I ever noticed. 



The pair in the case were shot on Hickling Broad, 

 in Norfolk, in December, 1872. 



