86 i\NATlD/E. 



THE GADWALL. 



Anas strepera, Linn. 



Is of rare occurrence in Ireland. 



The first individual recorded* is one which I saw in March 1833, 

 in the collection of Dr. R. Graves of Dublin, who informed me 

 that it was shot at Wexford, and sent to him thence in a recent 

 state, in the winter just then past. When in Dublin in May 

 ] 838, I was told by Mr. Glennon that two gadwalls, which were 

 brought to him, had been shot on the coast of Malahide a few 

 miles distant on the 24th of January preceding, and that, early 

 in the month of March, a bird of this species was sent to him for 

 preservation by Sir Richard Levinge, Bart., of Knockdrin Castle, 

 Westmeath. I subsequently learned from this gentleman that 

 the specimen was shot at that inland locality. Mr. W. S. Wall 

 (bird-preserver) received a young male, killed in the same winter 

 at Bakloyle, and purchased another (a female) in the market of 

 the metropolis : — it will be recollected that the winter of 1837-38 

 was particularly productive of the Anatida. 



In a paper read before tlie Dublin Natural History Society on the 

 4th of December 1840, Mr. H. H. Dombrain mentioned his having 

 procured a fine male gadwall, which had been shot at Malahide in 

 the preceding week. Male and female specimens, presented to 

 that society in 1841 or ] 842, by Mr. Massey, of the Pigeon-house 

 Fort, are believed to have been obtained in the Bay of Dublin. 

 I have seen a bird of this species in the collection of Mr. J. Watters, 

 jun., of that city, by whom I am assured that he saw two fresh 

 specimens, male and female, in the market there on the 8th of 

 December, 1846, and an immature bird about the 18th of that 

 month in 1849; also, that he has seen at least one on sale by 

 wild-fowl dealers in the course of every winter for some years past : 

 all of which were killed in Ireland. f 



* Proceedings Zool. Soc. ] 834, p. 30. 



t This siiigulai'ly agrees with what is said of the gadwall iu the east of Euglaiul. 

 The Rev. Mr. liUbbock informs us that il "is generally to be seen in Norwich niai'- 

 ket once or twice iu (he winter." — ' Fauna of Norfolk,' p. 119. 



