VOL. vn.] NOTES. 199 



Hedge-Sparrows, Willow-Warblers, Garden-Warblers, Blue 

 Tits and Wheatears, all except the last-named in small 

 numbers. This I believe to be the sixth occurrence in the 

 county. G. H. Caton Haigh. 



RED-FOOTED FALCON REPORTED FROM 

 ABERDEENSHIRE. 

 I HAVE recently examined an immature female Red-footed 

 Falcon, said to have been shot at Aboyne, Aberdeenshire, 

 on October 17th, 1913. The bird was sent to me freshly 

 mounted by E. T. Clarke, taxidermist, of Cheltenham. He 

 tells me that Mr. W. L. Mellersh, of Cheltenham, examined it 

 in the flesh, and that it was undoubtedly a female " with 

 some tiny eggs in her." The bird was, however, in the first 

 year's plumage. I know nothing more of its history. 



W. R. Ogilvie-Grant. 

 [The Red-footed Falcon has only been recorded four 

 times from Scotland, and curiously two of these are from 

 Aberdeenshire. — ^H.F.W.] 



RUDDY SHELD-DUCK IN CHESHIRE. 



There is, I fear, no doubt as to the origin of the Ruddy 

 Sheld-Ducks {Casarca ferruginea) which this summer and 

 autumn appeared in various parts of Cheshire. In addition 

 to the bird which remained for over a month on Rostherne 

 Mere {ante, p. 118), one, very likely the same bird, was shot 

 on Frodsham Marsh on September 4th, and two were killed 

 in October at Stretford, just on the county border. Lord 

 Newton informs me that he has for some time bred and 

 released birds of this species, that they usually leave his 

 waters in Lyme Park in August and return at the end of 

 October or a httle later, and that this year two or three 

 are missing. T. A. Coward. 



LONG-TAILED DUCK IN WARWICKSHIRE. 



On October 12th, 1913, I saw at Packington, Warwickshire, 

 a specimen of the Long-tailed Duck {Clangula hyemalis), 

 which was consorting with a pair of Mallard (than the female 

 of which it was noticeably smaller) though the latter 

 immediately left the pool ; the bird under observation 

 remained for a few minutes at the opposite side, but it then 

 rose and before leaving the vicinity twice flew round, on 

 each occasion passing within about twenty yards of me, 

 the first time very low down and the second at a sHghtly 

 greater height. I thus obtained excellent views of the 

 bird and saw that the back and wings were uniformly brown, 



