174 SHOVELER. 



Yarmouth; also in Cambridgeshire. It is met with likewise 

 in Kent, along the coast, and so on through Sussex, Dorset, 

 Devon, and Hants. 



In Cornwall, it has occurred at Carrack road, near Mylor 

 Creek, in the neighbourhood of Falmouth; one was purchased 

 in that town October 25th., 1849, and several others January 

 19th., 1850, in the market. One was shot at Bulwick, in 

 Northamptonshire, the Hon. T. L. Powys informed me, as was 

 also another at Standlake, in Oxfordshire. 



It is frequent in Wales, and in Ireland has been killed 

 in the King's County. In Orkney young birds are not 

 unfrequently met with, but the adults are rare. A male was 

 shot in Sanday, by Mr. Strang, May 24th., 1833. 



In Scotland a specimen, a female, together with the nest 

 and eggs, was procured on the Frith of Forth; others have 

 been obtained both northerly and in the south. 



They have been known to breed in considerable numbers in 

 Norfolk, at Winterton, Horsea, Stanford, and other places; 

 also in Kent, in Bomney Marsh. In Scotland, by the 

 Tweed side. 



Wild unreclaimed wastes, where water lies in ditches, pools, 

 and ponds, encroaching on the land, and in its turn invaded 

 by the natural herbage which it nourishes, are the favourite 

 resort of the Shoveler. 



These birds are winter visitors to us, but some remain 

 every year to breed. Their times of migration are in the 

 autumn in the beginning of the month of October, and in 

 the spring in those of March and April. 



They are exceedingly good birds to eat, according to 

 Audubon, appertaining, as they do, more to fresh waters than to 

 salt. In their natural habits they are not very shy. During 

 daytime they keep on the larger waters, and towards evening 

 repair to the smaller streams and their margins, and there 

 remain through the night, till the break of morning warns 

 them to retreat. The parent birds guard their young with 

 much care. 



They fly lightly and well, and straight forwards, though 

 not with much rapidity. They walk tolerably well, but 

 swimming is of course their 'forte.' 



Their food consists of grass and the buds and young shoots 

 of rushes and plants of different kinds, shrimps, worms, tad- 

 poles, young frogs, leeches, snails, small fishes, and water and 

 other insects. Most of their food is sought on the land, but 



