AXATID-E. 221 



On the Exe estuary the Sheldrake has oeeurrecl at the following dates: — February 

 1853; Dec. 28th, 1S64; March loth, 18(VJ (C. S.); three in March 1870; Feb. L'liih, 

 1875; Dee. 12th, 1875; four Jan. 27th, 1881 ; a young bird .Sept. 188'.); many adults 

 Dec. 189Uand.Tau. 1891. Most of tliese specimens were obtained on Dawlish Warren at 

 the mouth of the Exe. The sand-hills there form a suitable breeding-ground, and one 

 pair has nested there annually for the last few years and brought out broods. For 

 some reason this species is evidently on the increase, and occurs more frequently, and 

 in greater numbers, on the South Coast than formerly. 



The name of the bird is taken from " shdd,'''' an old word signifying 

 " pied," in reference to its parti-coloured plumage. 



Burrow Ducks are to be seen on the coast at all times of the year near 

 the places where they nest. However, in Cornwall, ^Ir. llodd considered 

 this species a winter visitor, only to be seen in severe weather. On the 

 Dorsetshire coast the Burrow Duck is not uncommon, and breeds in some 

 numbers, where there are sand-hills, and Mr. Mansel-Pleydell quotes some 

 interesting notes on the bird from Colonel Hawker's well-known book. 



[Ruddy Sheldrake. Tadoma casarca (Linn.). 



In the severe winter of 1890-91 , a specimen of the Kuddy Sheldrake, 

 which we can only consider to have strayed from some ornamental water, 

 where it had been frozen out, was obtained at Braunton, in !Xorth Devon. 

 A man fired at it and wounded it, and several days later it was picked up 

 dead, and carried to Mr. Rowe, the Barnstaple bird-stuffer, from whom it 

 passed to the Museum at Westward Ho ! College. The lluddy Sheldrake 

 is a native of South-eastern Europe and Xorthern Africa, and is a bird not 

 to be expected to wander as far as our coasts of its own accord. As far 

 back as the severe winter of 177*j, one was shot at Bryanston, in Dorset- 

 shire, and is still to be seen at the Museum in Xewcastle-on-Tyne. This 

 example was, most probably, also an escaped bird.] 



* Summer Duck, ^x sjmisa (Linn.). 



Introduced. This pretty American species is frequently kept on ponds 

 and ornamental waters, and as it breeds freely, and i-onms al)out the 

 country at will, it ajipcars to us that it is as much entitled to a place in 

 the ]5riti.sh list as other introduced and naturalized species, such as the 

 Egyi)tian Goose, Mute Swan, and Pheasant. All these would soon be 

 exterminated did they not receive protection, and arc not really fcro' 

 natur(p. Two specimens of the Summer Duck were killed out of a Hock 

 of fourteen on the llivor Errae, near riymouth (J. G., Zool. 1573, p. 3390). 

 A female was shot by Mr. Walter Toll at Slapton Ley in Dee. 1890. 



Wigeon. Marcra jtendojw (Linn.). 



A winter visitor, abundant in some seasons. It conliimcs to be by far 

 the most plentiful species of Duck met with in Devonshire, as it was when 



