120 BRITISH BIRDS. [vol. vm. 



young Pheasants before she was destroyed. It is well kno\vn 

 that these birds, as a rule, do little or no harm to game, 

 but when an individual takes to the coops it must be shot 

 on sight, though I would never allow one of these delightful 

 birds to be killed unless caught in the act. 



Heatley Noble. 



GAD WALL IN CHESHIRE. 



On August 19th, 1914, I shot a young male Gadwall (Anas 

 strepera) on a pond near Heswall. It was by itself, although 

 there were two Mallards on another portion of the pond. 

 It flew off as I walked up, but coming round again I shot 

 it. I felt sure it must be a Gadwall, but to make more 

 certain I sent it to Mr. T. A. Coward for confirmation. 



This is the first specimen of this bird I have come across 

 during nearly thirty years of shooting in the Dee estuary 

 and neighbourhood, though I have had many himdreds 

 of ducks of all kinds through my hands. 



John A. Dockeay. 



FERRUGINOUS DUCK IN CARNARVONSHIRE. 



On the landward side of the railway embankment at Afonwen 

 are some shallow meres fringed with reeds and reed-mace 

 and covered in part with beds of water-lilies. These pools 

 are much frequented by ducks, and on August 27th when 

 I was at the place with Mr. F. Browns word there was on 

 one of them, in addition to the Mallard, Teal, Wigeon and 

 Shovelers which one expects at this season, an adult male 

 Ferruginous Duck {Nyroca nyroca). The bird when we 

 first saw it was diving for food among some Coots on the 

 fringe of a reed- bed. Startled by the firing of a gun it rose 

 with the other birds, but pitched again on another of the 

 pools, where we found it later sleeping in a lily-bed. On 

 the water the bird looked rather smaller than a Tufted Duck ; 

 its head was a warm brown passing into bay on the neck, 

 upper breast and flanks ; the back and tail noticeably 

 darker than the flanks and breast ; the white eyes showed 

 up plainly against the brown cheeks. On either side of 

 the base of the tail was a pure white spot, apparent only 

 when the bird swam high in the water, but in the act of 

 diving the white of the heWy was plainly visible ; bill lead 

 colour. In flight a narrow white bar showed right across 

 the wings. C. Oldham. 



