THE MOSS BIRDS. 



pretty little ducks is by no means an unusual sight 

 during the winter months. As good to cat as he is 

 good to look upon. 



SHELDRAKE. Breeds regularly in the sandhills. A few remain 

 (Tadoma comuta.) throughout the winter. 



SHOVELLER. Js shot pretty regularly each winter on the moss. 

 (Spatula dypeata.) He is called " Scooper Wigin " by the local fowlers. 



PINTAIL. A rare bird here. Has been shot once or twice 

 (Dafila acuta.) during the last three severe winters, and is known 

 locally as the " fan-tailed wigin." 



LONG-TAILED This bird is essentially a sea duck, but I have 



included it among the moss birds, seeing that my 



(Harelda glaaa ts.) fafo^ OD t a i ne d a specimen once which was found 



exhausted on the Moss by a " fleeter," after a 

 series of severe westerly gales.* 



SCAUP DUCK. I have shot a specimen of this duck on the Moss ; 



(Ftdigula mania.) probably enticed there by his friends, the mallards, 



who have lured him to his destruction, in mistake for 



doing him a good turn, and showing him a good 



place to get a dinner. 



*LONG-TAILED DUCK. In my father's Notes, he says: "An extremely interesting specimen of the 

 duck tribe was brought to me one day by a 'fleeter.' I found, on examination, that it was an instance 

 of Fuligula glacialis, otherwise called the sea pheasant, and I have never seen it in Formby before or 

 since. I remember thinking how charming it would look, with its long tail feathers and handsome 

 shape when the cut of the taxidermist had ensured its preservation. The next morning, being in a 

 hurry, I unfortunately omitted to take it into Liverpool to be set up. Upon inquiring for it shortly 

 after, what was my horror to find that my rare and cherished specimen had been plucked and eaten 

 And this is the reason why I cannot show you the bird to-ni^ht. (A Lecture). Such are the viciss- 

 itudes of human life, It is considered a rare bird, and its occurrences are carefully recorded by 

 naturalists even on our Eastern Coasts, where this variety is not so unfrequent as in Lancashire." 



