iT. 
Birds. 9047 
the female was alive when I saw it, A beautiful female of the longtailed duck was 
killed with a stone by a farmer, while it was swimming on a small pond near Polegate, 
in January last: what could have brought this rare visitant to the said pond I cannot 
imagine. Scaup ducks have been unusually plentiful. John Dutton. 
Variety of the Common Wild Duck.—I have just examined, in the flesh, a variety 
of the common wild duck (Anas boschas), a female, killed in the Humber, near 
Ferril Sluice. -The whole of the under parts are pale buff, on the neck and upper part 
of the breast slightly streaked with pale brown; sides of the head pale buf; upper 
part of the head and neck pale brown, streaked down the centre of each feather with 
darker brown; back, scapularies and upper tail-coverts pale slate-colour, each feather 
broadly marked down the centre and margined with pale chestnut; tail light sandy 
colour, the middle feathers slightly darker down the centre. The wings have the 
primaries pale gray, the outer webs darker; secondaries pale slate-colour on the inner 
webs; the outer webs dark gray; tips white. Tertiaries uniform pale slate-colour ; 
greater wing-coverts pale slate-colour, barred across near the tips with white; tips 
pale slate-colour; upper wing-coverts pale slate-colour, slightly tinged with brown. 
The entire plumage of this duck is remarkable for its subdued pale tint; there is a 
complete absence of the speculum, or beauty-spot, on the wings. The bird was in 
fine condition, and very fat.—John Cordeaux ; Great Coates, Uleeby, Lincolnshire, 
March 26, 1864. 
Ferruginous Duck in Radnorshire.—I send you a short account of the ferruginous 
duck (Luligula nyroca of Selby’s ‘ British Ornithology’ and Jenyns’ ‘ British Verte- 
brata’). Specimens of this bird appear to be rare even in the eastern counties of 
England, and I have never seen or heard of another specimen having been found so 
far to the westward as this county (Radnorshire), This specimen, which is either 
an adult female or the young of the first year, appeared first on a pond of mine in the 
winter of 1859, and remained on the pond till February, or, I think, March of the 
following year 1860. It did not appear to be wild, and I was able to examine it with 
a pocket telescope on the water: now and then, if approached very near, it took flight, 
but only to settle again at a short distance on the pond, which is a small one. The 
white bar on the wing was very distinctly visible in flight. I would not have it 
molested, as I do not allow any birds to be destroyed. I did not see it on the 
pond later than, I think, March, 1860.—Harford J. Jones Brydges ; Boultibrooke, 
February 22, 1864. 
Tufted Duck near Sulisbury.—I purchased, in the flesh, a short time ago, a good 
male specimen of the tufted duck (Anas fuligula); it was shot on the River Avon, a 
few miles to the north of this city, on the 4th of February, 1864. About the same 
date last year, I obtained a female, which was shot on the same river, near Breamore, 
about nine miles to the south-east of Salisbury. These are the only specimens of this 
species that have come under my notice in this neighbourhood.—Henry Blackmore ; 
Salisbury. 
Smew near Eastbourne.—A beautiful adult male specimen of the smew (Mergus 
- albellus) was shot, about a month since, at Cuckmere Haven. It is in my collection. 
_—John Dutton ; Eastbourne, March 20, 1864. 
Dusky or Sclavonian Grebe near Selby, Yorkshire—On the 20th of February a 
female specimen of the dusky or Sclavonian grebe (Podiceps cornulus) was killed on 
the River Ouse, near Selby, by a bargeman. It was sent to me in the flesh, and 
I dissected it. The gizzard contained vegetable matters far advanced in maceration, 
