A HISTORY OF 
127. Shoveler. Spatula clypeata (Linn.) 
A visitant in small numbers probably during 
most winters, and is one of the four species of 
duck that have been known to nest with us. 
At Luton Hoo a pair were said to have nested 
in the park in 1893. I have visited these 
pools almost every year since, but have never 
been able to find this species there again. At 
the sewage farm at Newnham, one if not 
two pairs of shovelers nested in 1898. The 
first nest found was on 5 May, and contained 
four eggs, which were taken; the nest was in 
the middle of a large tuft of rushes growing 
out in the water of the ‘sewage-lake’ that 
existed at that time. On 21 May a nest 
containing six eggs, which were also taken, 
was found among the thick grass in a 
small osier bed within the same field, and in 
addition to these, I understand, two other 
eggs were also eventually procured. During 
the previous year, shovelers were said to have 
frequented the same locality during the nest- 
ing season, and it seems probable that they 
may also have nested, especially as small eggs 
of a duck were said to have been found. 
They have not infrequently been killed on 
the river in the vicinity of Wyboston ; several 
instances of the ‘spoonbill’ duck being shot 
in past years have been brought under my 
notice. One was obtained in 1889 from the 
moat around Chawston Manor; Dr. C. 
Sprigge shot this species at Great Barford about 
1890, when a pair together were observed 
by him upon the floods. In November 1889 
a female was shot from the Ouse at Golding- 
ton. Two adult males were also killed 3 
January 1891 at Kempston, and a pair had 
been killed from the same water many years 
previously. Another, also a male, was shot 
in the same parish shortly after the two drakes 
were obtained. Ai solitary female was killed 
by myself on the Ouse at Goldington 7 Janu- 
ary 1892, and on 27 July of the same year 
one was seen down the river below Bedford. 
A female was shot 25 September 1897 on the 
Newnham farm, and another by Colonel H. 
Barclay at the pools in Tingrith Park in 
1899. 
128. Pintail. Dafila acuta (Linn.) 
A winter visitor, resorting to our rivers and 
pools most years, but in very limited numbers; 
formerly more numerous. Females and im- 
mature males are far more plentiful than adult 
males. At the lake in Southill Park one was 
killed about 1860, and came under the obser- 
vation of Mr. J. King. Dr. C. Sprigge once 
saw three or four together on the flooded 
meadows at Great Barford. One was shot near 
BEDFORDSHIRE 
Castle Mills in the winter 1889-90, another, a 
fine male bird, killed near Harrold Hall 11 
January 1892, and an adult female shot at the 
Newnham farm 18 September 1894. In 
the winter 1899-1900 several were secured : 
a female at Roxton, two females at Renhold, 
and a beautiful adult drake shot from the Ouse 
at Goldington. 
129. Teal. Nettion crecca (Linn.) 
A winter visitor, and is frequently met with 
on all our larger waterways and pools. It 
seems evident that in former years and in 
certain favoured localities it once bred regu- 
larly. Mr. J. King can recall at least three 
nests with eggs being found in the vicinity of 
the lake at Southill, several eggs from which 
he has kindly presented to me. In one in- 
stance, whilst the keepers and others were 
gathering pheasants’ eggs in the park, those of 
the teal were also picked up, and remained 
unrecognized until hatched in an incubator. 
In more recent years I have never met with 
it on the lake later in the spring than g April, 
but the head keeper assures me that a nest 
and eggs were again found in 1893. At 
Luton Hoo a pair were seen by the water 
keeper nesting as recently as 1895 ; they bred 
in the vicinity of several water-holes in one of 
the woods of the park some distance away 
from the larger pools. 
130. Garganey. Querquedula circia (Linn.) 
One of the rarer of the numerous species 
of ducks that visit us; formerly more frequent. 
A fine old male, which is now in the posses- 
sion of Mr. J. Smith, was killed at Fenlake 
about 1872; another, alsoa male, was shot at 
Ravensden in November 1890, and a female 
was obtained near the ford at Clapham in the 
spring of 1891. The most recent occurrence 
was one killed at Milton about 1892. One 
was observed on the pool at Luton Hoo by 
Mr, W. C. Thompson, and several local speci- 
mens have been reported to me, but without 
any additional particulars. , 
Mareca penelope (Linn.) 
Throughout the winter, and more particu- 
larly during the early months of the year, 
the wigeon is frequently met with in numer- 
ous localities along the Ouse, and on many of 
our larger sheets of water. It occurs generally 
in small parties, but occasionally in flights 
from fifteen to twenty and upwards; adult 
males are few in number compared with fe- 
males or birds of the year. 
132. Pochard. Fuligula ferina (Linn.) 
Still fairly abundant as a winter and spring 
131. Wigeon. 
124 
