ANATID^. 227 



imported. A young male, shot on the Exe, from Mr, Ptobert Cumming's 

 collection, is also in the Exeter Museum. One shot at Seaton iu 

 December 1882 is in the possession of Mr. Parkins of that place. A 

 female, killed at Slapton Lej' in January 1S85, believed to be the first re- 

 corded specimen obtained in that locality, was in the collection of the late 

 Mr. W. Bastard (P. P. ^., Zool. 1885, p. 6S, and MS. Notes). The two 

 females recorded as having been shot near Kingsbridge during the winter 

 of 1887-88 appear to be, without doubt, immature Pintails. 



The Gadwall is so widely distributed over the world that it is not a 

 little remarkable that it should be so seldom seen in the West of England. 

 It is not uncom.mon as a winter visitor in Scotland, and being now semi- 

 domesticated in large numbers in the Eastern Counties of England, it 

 might be expected to reach Devonshire occasionally. It is, however, one 

 of the rarest of our Ducks. We know of no instance of it in North 

 Devon ; the only Devonshire examples, which we record above, were all 

 obtained on the south coast of the county. It is equally rare in Cornwall, 

 where Mr. llodd knew of only three having occurred. Mr. Cecil Smith 

 records two from Somerset in his book, and in the ' Zoologist' for 188U, 

 p. 140, mentions a duck and drake Gadwall which were seen in Sedgmoor, 

 near Langport, on Jan. 10, 1889. The duck was shot, but the drake 

 escaped. A drake of this species had been shot near the same spot three 

 years before. Mr. Manscl-Pleydell, who states that it is called locally the 

 " Grey Duck," mentions nine Dorsetshire specimens, most of them from 

 Poole harbour. 



In its habits the Gadwall is said closely to resemble the Common Wild 

 Duck. 



Garganey, Querquedula circia (Linn.). 



[Summer Teal.] 



A passing visitor in March and April, of occasional occurrence, generally 

 in pairs, but sometimes in small flocks. It is most frequently met with 

 in the southern part of the county, and very rarely visits North Devon. 

 The spring of 1870 was remarkable for the number of Garganeys which 

 visited the county. 



Dr. E. Moore mentions one in Sir. Tripp's collection at Dcvonport, and luujtliershot 

 on tlie Exe in that of .Mr. Coinyns (Tran.s. Plvin. Inst. 18."{0). A young nialc was 

 shot on tlio Exe, Marcli lltli, 1841 (F. VV. L. R.,' MS. Journal, iii. p. 4'.t). Air. Henry 

 ]S'icliolls iiad a pair shot in Kingsbridge estuary, about 184;.{ (E. A. S. E. ). A pair 

 were killed at one shot iu a marsh near Tcipshain on Mareh 12th, 18r>0, and are now 

 in tlie A. M. M. We saw a ))air on the Exe close to '^I'opsham, March ITth, 18.')ii, but 

 did not succeed in shooting thnn. One was shot at I'lynioulh on Marcli L".llli, iH'i") ; 

 and one April lOtli, I8(;i (15., M.S. Notes). A jiair in our colledion in beautil'id phiniage 

 were sliot on the Taw just above 15arnstaple iiridge, about March "JOtii, IS?''. and one 

 was killed on the same river on April ^Otii I'oUovvii.g (.M. A. M., Zool. 1S7(I, pp. L'I44. 

 21.S.'',). A pair occurred at IMymouth, iMan'h L;.')tli, ISTO, and a male, April l.'itli, 1S72 

 (,I. (}., Zool. Ih70, p. •2i4:i: 1H72, p. .'id'.l'.tj. A. male was shot at VViddccondte on 

 April Isl, 1870 (.1. F. lloldsworlli). A pair were sh(jt, and a (lock of eiglii were seen, 



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