1920.] Ornithology of the Lstand of Texel. '^77 



21 and 29 September, 2 and 10 October. We were never 

 close enough to d(^terniine the species^ except that they did 

 not appear to be White-fronted. They liave a way of getting 

 geese in winter on the island by going out with strong head- 

 lights ; the geese are said to be dazzled by them, and admit 

 ofc" a near enough approach for a shot. Grey Lag recorded 

 for " April 19U "' (V.) . 



Brent Goose. 



First appeared on 1 October, with an increase on the 10th. 

 Said to be common in winter. "Assembles in big flocks on 

 coast before migration '' (V.). 



Shklduck. 



Family party seen on several occasions in August. Noted 

 nearly every day in September and October. Apparently a 

 sedentary species. " Breeds not miconnnonly in rabbit-holes 

 on the dunes at De Cocksdorp '' (D.). "Breeds'' (Th.). 

 " Sometimes breeds also in the sheep-folds or under straw or 

 hay-stacks'' (L.J.). 



Mallard. 



Very common in the polders and on the lakes at Slufter- 

 bollen. Apparently the home-bred stock frequently inter- 

 breeds with farmyard ducks and white call-ducks. On oiu; 

 lake we put uj) four separate nuisses of fowl, mostly Mallards ; 

 each flock rose with a roar of wings and momentarily appeared 

 to darken the sky. A not uncommon variety was one in 

 which the chestnut breast-band of the male was replaced bv 

 grey vermicubi ted feathers, the black under tail-coverts also 

 being marked with grey vermiculations. I noted a similar 

 bird in the liotterdam Zoological Gardens, which Herr Biitti- 

 kofer informed me was the produce of boschas x doiitesticus 

 cross. I have seen similar birds in a farmyard in Kent, 

 and once examined an individual shot near Yarmouth*. 



There are, I believe, three decoys w-orked on Texel, but we 

 only visited an old disused one in a small wood, the traces 



* Erroneously recorded as a hybrid by Mr. Patterson in the 

 ' Zooloirist; lUKl 



