The Zoologist — September, 1870. 2277 



domesticated one as he swam up and down the water in the Regent's 

 Park. He tuned up a sort of melody made of two notes, C and the 

 minor E flat, and kept working his head, as if deUghted with his own 

 performance." Professor Auguste Bertini has taken down the melody, 

 and Mr. Harting has republished it at p. 222 of his ' Birds of 

 Middlesex.'] 



Common Shieldrake. — Not uncommon in severe winters; specimens 

 on several occasions obtained from the ponds at Sennen. 



Shoveler. — Not uncommon in severe winters at the Sennen ponds. 



Wild Duck. — Universally distributed in suitable localities, especially 

 in hard winters, when immense numbers resort to the pools and 

 marshes near the Land's End, being the most extreme point of refuge 

 westward, in pursuing a course to avoid the rigours of intense cold. 



Gadwall. — Rare : one specimen, and the only one recorded from 

 this neighbourhood, killed on Trengwainton ponds. 



Pintail Duck. — Common in the Land's End district in severe 

 weather. 



Garganey. — A rare visitor in Cornwall ; a few summers since several 

 were obtained in the neighbourhood of Penzance in very beautiful 

 plumage, and preserved. 



(The garganeys visit us sometimes, but rarely, in the early spring, 

 on their journey to the eastern counties, where they breed. Three 

 specimens, in adult and beautiful plumage, were obtained on the 30th 

 of March, and sent for preservation by Mr. J. Symons, jun., from the 

 Land's ^wdi.— April 9, 1870.) 



Teal. — The most regular of our duck visitors every winter, appearing 

 sometimes early in the autumn, and at times in large numbers in the 

 marsh pools at the Land's End. 



Wigeon. — A regular visitor to the Land's End district every winter, 

 but not so generally distributed as the last-named species. 



Eider Duck. — One specimen killed on the river Looe : rarely seen 

 in southern latitudes. 



Velvet Scoter. — Sometimes seen in Mount's Bay, and one shot at 

 Penzance quay. 



Scoter. — Rare : occasionally seen in Mount's Bay and captured. 

 AH the scoters are oceanic in their habits, and are more frequently 

 seen at sea than inland. 



Surf Scoter. — A rare bird in England, and only occasionally seen 

 in the north of Scotland. A specimen of this duck in adult plumage 

 was picked up in a dying state on the beach at St. Mary's, Scilly, on 



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