BIRDS 



county, but inasmuch as the first four are 

 birds which are continually kept in semi-con- 

 finement and the young often make their 

 escape, it is inexpedient to include them as 

 accidental 'visitors.' The Polish swan is 

 now generally regarded as a variety of the 

 mute swan.] 



127. Whooper. Cygnus musicus, Bechstein. 

 An occasional winter visitor ; two were 



shot near Reading in January, 1795 ('Ornith. 

 Bercheria'). The late F. O. Morris says a 

 flock appeared in January, 1855, between 

 Cookham and Maidenhead, two of which 

 were shot (Brit. Birds, v. 1 1 5). Three were 

 shot in the meadows near Shinfield about the 

 year 1860 by a Mr. Smith; one of these, in 

 the possession of Mr. Cresswell of Binfield, 

 was purchased for the Reading Museum, but 

 refused (Captain Savile J. Reid in lit.). 



128. Mute Swan. Cygnus olor (Gmelin). 



Numbers of semi-domesticated swans are 

 to be seen on most reaches of the Thames 

 and on many large sheets of water in the 

 county. The Thames birds belong to his 

 Majesty the King, the Vintners' Company 

 and the Dyers' Company. ' Swan-upping ' 

 takes place in July or early August, when the 

 young birds are caught up, marked on the 

 bill, pinioned and liberated. Each company 

 has its own swanherd ; they meet together at 

 London Bridge and proceed up the river as 

 far as Henley, the ceremony lasting four 

 days. ' Some idea of the abundance of swans 

 on the Thames may be inferred from the fact 

 that in August, 1897, between London Bridge 

 and Henley, the number taken up was 481. 

 Of these 1 68 belonged to the Queen, 181 to 

 the Vintners' Company, and 132 to the 

 Dyers' Company ' (J. E. Harting, Handbook 

 of British Birds, ed. 2, p. 228-9). A few 

 birds are sometimes overlooked, and these are 

 often shot as ' wild swans,' though of course 

 it is possible that truly wild birds may at times 

 visit our river. 



129. Common Sheld-Duck. Tadorna cornuta 



(S. G. Gmelin). 



Dr. Lamb mentions one shot near New- 

 bury, 1806, and Dr. Bowdler Sharpe states 

 (Birds of Berks and Bucks, p. 205) during the 

 winter of 1867-8 a bird of this species was 

 seen for several days in the neighbourhood 

 of Cookham. 



130. Mallard. Anas ioscas, Linn. 

 Common, resident, and, since shooting has 



been prohibited on the Thames, increasing in 

 numbers. I have often found nests in pollard 



willows on the banks of the river, and they 

 breed freely in many parts of the county. 



131. Shoveler. Spatula clypeata (Linn.). 



A somewhat rare winter visitor; one was 

 shot out of a party of four near Iffley, Novem- 

 ber 12, 1889 (Fauna and Flora of Radley, p. 

 12). Mr. Dewe informs me he killed a 

 female on December 10, 1898, near Faring- 

 don. 



132. Pintail. Dafila acuta (Linn.). 



As late as March 30 a drake pintail was 

 shot near Henley (probably on the river) by 

 Mr. G. Jackson (Birds of Oxon, p. 200). 



133. Teal. Nettion crecca (Linn.). 



Fairly numerous in winter. Mr. Norman 

 May has kindly sent me particulars of the 

 nesting of this species in Berks; his brother, 

 Mr. E. May, obtained a nest and four eggs 

 near Thatcham on May 4, 1900. Mr. F. O. 

 Lindley found another nest just hatching on 

 the edge of the water at Great Meadow Pond, 

 Windsor, on May 19, 1896 (Bucknill in 

 /it.) ; and the late Dr. Montague Palmer had 

 eggs from Kintbury Marsh in 1880 (H. M. 

 Wallis in lit.) 



134. Garganey. ^uerquedula circia (Linn.). 

 In the severe January, 1795, one specimen 



was killed at Maidenhead ('Ornith. Ber- 

 cheria'). A pair were shot at Kintbury in 1874 

 (Palmer, < Birds of Newbury and District '). 

 Mr. Bradshaw informs me a young male was 

 shot at Theale on December 15, 1898, by 

 Mr. Blatch, and is now preserved in the 

 Reading Museum. 



135. Wigeon. Mareca penelope (Linn.). 

 The wigeon may be found in small num- 

 bers almost every winter; it has been killed 

 at Windsor, Maidenhead and Cookham, on 

 the Kennet and often on the Thames. A 

 pair remained on the Thames between Wind- 

 sor and Datchet as late as May (Birds of Berks 

 and Bucks, p. 125). 



136. Pochard. Fuligula ferina (Linn.). 



A winter visitor in very limited numbers. 

 I am not aware that it has bred within our 

 limits though its nest is said to have been 

 found in Bucks. 



137. Tufted Duck. Fuligula cristata (Leach). 

 A regular winter visitor and seems to be 



increasing in numbers ; not a year passes but 

 several are seen on the Thames between 

 Henley and Reading and on certain inland 

 waters. 



157 



