Gadwall. 477 



187. GADWALL (Anas strepera). 



Since my former papers on the Ornithology of Wilts were 

 published, I have a notice of the occurrence of this species in our 

 county, for a specimen was shot at Amesbury at the latter part 

 of 1871 by Mr. S. Hayes, as I learn from Mr. Grant, of Devizes. 

 It is not a common bird in England, though met with sparingly 

 every year. The specimen in my collection I considered myself 

 very fortunate in obtaining in 1855 from a 'gunner' on the 

 shores of the Wash, with whom I had frequent dealings ; for it 

 was the only specimen of the species he had ever shot, though 

 he had then pursued the calling of fowler on those mud-banks 

 for twenty-five years. It is common in Holland, but its home is 

 in the far north of America, as well as of Europe and Asia. It is 

 a very shy bird, and seeks the most lonely spots it can find in 

 which to > shelter itself. It excels in the art of diving, is more 

 rapid in flight than most of the ducks, and has been pronounced 

 by Lord Lilford ' by far the best for the table of the European 

 Anatidaa/ Sir R Payne-Gallwey says it may easily be mistaken 

 at first sight for a female Wild Duck, but the patch of white 

 near the centre of the closed wing affords a good mark of distinc- 

 tion. It is a fine, plump-looking bird, with a very broad chest ; 

 and the markings on the breast, which are peculiar to it, are very 

 beautiful, and have a dappled appearance, which is formed by 

 small white half-moon shaped pencillings on each feather, almost 

 an eighth of an inch from the top.* It is remarkable for the 

 length and delicacy of the laminae of the upper mandible, which 

 project upwards the tenth of an inch beyond the margin ; and 

 from that peculiarity the Gadwall has obtained from modern 

 ornithologists the generic name of chaulelasmus, which literally 

 means 'with outstanding teeth/ but here applies to the projecting 

 laminae. Its specific name, strepera, ' noisy/ in German Schwatter 

 Ente, in French Le Chipeau, and in Swedish Snatter And, all 

 meaning ' Chattering Duck/ take their origin from the loud, 

 harsh, shrill notes which it repeats over and over again. It is 

 The Fowler in Ireland/ p. 56. 



