398 PRESIDENTIAL ADDEESS. 



to that under tillage, by the destruction of grubs. At night, 

 during the time of sitting, the male birds roost on the water, 

 and keep up an incessant noise. At certain times these Gulls 

 hawk for flies after the manner of Swallows; at others they 

 hover above the shallow water, and pounce upon minnows more 

 Osprey. The other members of the Larus tribe are the Lesser 

 Black-backed Gull and the Common Gull. The Common Tern 

 is not an unusual -sisitor, and I have a stray Sandwich Tern's 

 egg obtained on the island. I have twice seen a Cormorant 

 here, and one stayed for three days. An immense number of 

 Ducks come to the reservoirs. The Mallard, the Teal, the 

 Golden Eye, the Widgeon, the Sheldrake, the Pochard, the 

 Gadwall, and once a Pintail Drake. It is not infrequent- to see 

 300 to 400 Ducks at once during winter. The habits of the 

 Mallards are guided by a most marvellous instinct. During 

 autumn an observer may remark the exactness as to time and 

 place that the various flights of Ducks take. Twice we have 

 had an extended visit from a Great Northern Diver; oue re- 

 mained two weeks, and was, I regret to say, shot at last. The 

 last specimen remained a few days, and seemed to be both 

 familiar and inquisitive. Both were male birds. Goosanders 

 are frequent visitors, and in small flocks of four to fourteen 

 Grey Lag and Bean Geese occasionally come, but usually make 

 a very short stay, and frequently do not settle but go noisily 

 on their way, and always in a triangular form of flight. I 

 have known Bewick's Swans occur thrice here ; once in a 

 flock of twelve, and on the last occasion a single bird stayed 

 about a week, and was almost too familiar for its own safety, 

 but it escaped. The Coot breeds regularly at the lake, under 

 strong protest from the Gulls, who are impudent, selfish, and 

 vindictive, except with Curlews and Pewits. Herons are com- 

 mon; I have seen thirteen within 200 yards of each other. 

 Eedshanks breed here regularly, as also the Common Sand- 

 piper and Snipe. Common and Bar-tailed Godwits occasionally 

 visit us, and "Whimbrels and Dunlins in profusion; Binged 

 Plovers, Little Stints, and probably several more unascertained 

 "Waders. The Little Grebe has on one occasion bred here, 



