96 BRITISH BIRDS. 



and, at this time, she took no notice of anyone passing by 

 unless they stopped to look at her, when she hurriedly left 

 the nest, ran a few yards, and took flight to the " swag." 



On May 11 th the clutch of ten eggs was completed, and on 

 May 28th I accompanied Mr. Thomas to see the b rds and their 

 nest. As we approached the place my friends told me that 

 it was uncertain whether we should see the drake, as he some- 

 times disappeared for a whole day ; however, to our great 

 dehght, we found the beautiful bird on the water. We had 

 cautiously approached within some forty yards, w^hen he 

 rose and flew behind the " pit-bank " at the south side of the 

 " swag." Our attention was next directed to the duck, 

 which hastily took to flight when we were within a yard of 

 the nest. The grass had grown very much and now completely 

 hid it. There were ten eggs — of a greenish- cream colour, 

 much soiled — laid on dried grasses and down, and not 

 covered — perhaps owing to our arrival at the nest being rather 

 sudden. We then walked on to another "swag," nearly three 

 acres in extent, and about flve hundred yards away. Here men 

 were loading coal from " pit- tubs " into carts, on a wharf, 

 close to which, in company with a number of domestic ducks, 

 were the Shovelers. Although they had apparently taken no 

 notice of the men who were at work, on our arrival they 

 instantly took flight, fortunately only to the other side of 

 the " swag." Very quietly we walked to the shelter of a tree, 

 from which we watched the birds for a considerable time, during 

 which the}^- left the water and preened their feathers on the 

 opposite bank. 



On June 9th the ten eggs hatched out safely, after an in- 

 cubation of twenty-four days, and the same day a second 

 drake put in an appearance, but, after a fight, was driven off. 

 The Rev. F. C. R. Jourdain, whom I told of this occur- 

 rence, informs me that a pair of Shovelers had bred at Wyrley 

 Grove, which is two miles from the locality of the nest I have 

 described, in 1906 and 1907 ; from inquiries I have since 

 made I find there has not been a nest there this year. 



The best thanks of Staffordshire ornithologists are due to 

 the Messrs. Thomas, who were draining the " swag " when 

 the Shovelers were first noticed, and who instantly stopped 

 operations when they found that they were nesting. They 

 have since taken every precaution that the birds should not 

 be disturbed. 



W. Wells Bla^den. 



POCHARD NESTING IN SOUTH-WEST KENT. 

 On May 16th I was punting with, a friend in Romney Marsh 



