A HISTORY OF WARWICKSHIRE 



129. Teal. Nettion crecca (Linn.) 



Of not infrequent appearance as an autumn 

 and winter visitor, sometimes appearing in 

 considerable flights, but remaining only for 

 a short time. It is reported to have bred in 

 Sutton Coldfield Park, where it is abundant 

 in the winter. 



130. Garganey. Querqitedula circia (Linn.) 

 A rare spring migrant. Three or four 



occurrences only are known to the writer. 



131. Wigeon. Mareca penelope (Linn.) 

 Immature birds, appearing either singly or 



in small flights, are not infrequent on our 

 streams in winter. In the early spring adult 

 individuals occur, but only on passage, and 

 have never been known to breed. 



132. Pochard. Fuligula ferina (Linn.) 

 Like the wigeon this is a winter visitor 



only, and in small numbers. It has appeared 

 on the Avon and Tame, as well as on private 

 waters. 



!33- Tufted Duck. Fuligula cristata (Leach) 

 Immature examples are not infrequent in 

 winter on our streams, but adult individuals 

 are very rare. 



134. Scaup-Duck. Fuligula marila (Linn.) 

 Less frequently seen on inland waters than 



the pochard or tufted duck ; only a straggler, 

 and generally in immature plumage. 



135. Goldeneye. Clangula glaudon (Linn.) 

 Immature or female birds of this species 



are not very rare in winter, and have been 

 shot on the Avon and Tame, and on other 

 waters, but adult males are of extremely rare 

 occurrence. 



136. Common Scoter. CEdemia nigra (Linn.) 

 Of very rare occurrence on our inland 



waters. In three instances only during a 

 long period has the writer met with it in 

 Warwickshire, twice on the Avon, and once 

 on the sheet of water in the park at Ragley. 

 It has however occurred at Sutton Coldfield. 



137. Surf-Scoter. CEdemia per spidllata (Linn.) 

 A specimen of this rare bird which was 



shot on the Avon a few miles down stream 

 from Stratford was brought to H. Coombs 

 of that town some years since for preservation, 

 where it was seen and secured by the present 

 writer. It is an adult male in full black 

 plumage with the characteristic white mark- 

 ings on the neck. 



138. Goosander. Mtrgui merganser, Linn. 

 Although not of frequent occurrence it is 



certainly not very rare in the county in the 

 winter. It is however a very uncertain 



visitor. 



139. Red-breasted Merganser. Mergus serra- 



tor, Linn. 



Very rare in Warwickshire, one example 

 only having come to the knowledge of the 

 writer during a long period, which was an 

 immature male shot in the Avon. Mr. 

 Chase reports it to be of equal rarity in the 

 district around Birmingham, and Mr. Steele 

 Elliott quotes one instance of its occurrence 

 at Sutton Coldfield. 



140. Smew. Mergus albellus, Linn. 



Has occurred once in the county, namely 

 as Elford near Tamworth. 



141. Ring-Dove or Wood-Pigeon. Columba 



palumbus y Linn. 

 Locally, Quice. 



A common resident. It feeds very freely 

 in summer on the leaves of young field peas, 

 turnips, or clover, often to the serious injury 

 of the crop. Later on, namely at harvest, the 

 pods of the peas are attacked and their con- 

 tents consumed. In the autumn the quice 

 visits oak trees to feed on the acorns, always 

 taking by preference those trees which bear 

 the smallest acorns. A good deal of green 

 stuff, such as turnip tops and field cabbage, is 

 eaten in the winter, as also are the berries of 

 the ivy. 



142. Stock-Dove. Columba aenas, Linn. 



A much less abundant bird than the quice, 

 but sometimes associating with it in winter. 

 The nest is generally in holes in trees, and 

 occasionally on the crown of a pollard withy. 



143. Turtle-Dove. Turtur communis, Selby. 

 Sixty years ago this was a rare bird in 



Warwickshire, but it is now common as a 

 summer migrant, the increase having been 

 gradual and not by a sudden immigration. 

 It seems to affect the low-lying fertile lands 

 rather than the higher and more sterile ones. 

 It is reported to appear in considerable num- 

 bers in the north of the county and to breed 

 there. 



1 44. Pallas's Sand-Grouse. Syrrhaptes para- 



doxus (Pallas) 



In July, 1888, a flock consisting of nine 

 individuals of this bird alighted in a clover 

 field near Kineton, and were seen to be feed- 

 ing, as was supposed, on the leaves of the 

 clover. One was shot and taken into Stratford- 

 on-Avon for preservation, where it was seen 

 and examined by the writer, into whose col- 



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