302 NATATORES. CHAULIODUS. GADWALL. 



when some few pairs occasionally visit the marshes of Nor- 

 folk and the adjoining counties, being probably driven to 

 that coast of our island by adverse winds, out of the usual 

 line of their flight. This seems to be farther to the east- 

 ward, as the bird is plentiful upon the continental parts of 

 Europe, in our parallels of latitude. Thus, according to 

 TEMMINCK, it abounds in Holland, breeding in the great 

 marshy tracts of that country, as well as in other northern 

 districts. The specimens I have been enabled to see in a 

 fresh state were all met with in the poulterers'* shops in Lon- 

 don, during the months of April and May, and those now in 

 my collection were thus obtained. Though other writers 

 have mentioned it as being a winter visitant to our shores, I 

 have never seen it except at the period above stated ; and 

 MONTAGU, who probably, in consequence of this idea, only 

 looked for it during the winter, never succeeded in obtaining 

 a recent specimen. The species is widely distributed through- 

 out the northern and eastern parts of Europe, and is also 

 found in North America, having been described by AViLsox 

 as a winter visitant to- various parts of the United States. 

 These birds frequent the lakes, rivers, and marshes of the 

 interior, particularly those abounding in reeds and other rank 

 aquatic herbage, and seldom resort to the sea-coasts. They 

 are strong on wing, and in rapidity of flight surpass most of 

 the other nearly allied species, but are more remarkable for 

 their quickness in diving, and their great propensity to it as 

 the method of avoiding danger, or even observation. They 



Nest, &c. breed in the most covered parts of the marshes, and lay from 

 ten to twelve eggs each, of a pale oil-green colour. Their 



Food. food consists of insects and their larvae, aquatic plants, and 

 seeds. The voice of the Gadwall is not unlike that of the 

 Common Wild Duck, only rather hoarser. The trachea of 

 the male bird is slightly enlarged in its diameter at about 

 two-thirds of its length, but becomes narrower as it ap- 

 proaches the lower larynx; this consists of a large bony 

 arch, with a globular, or rather pyriform, bladder attached 



