Family ANATID^. Genus Anas. 



Subfamily Anatinm. 



GADWALL. 



ANAS STREPERA— Z?««««x. 



Geographical Distribution.— -5^-//w>^ .- Comparatively rare 

 and local winter visitor to the British Islands, although many 

 apparently pass our coasts on migration, especially in spring. Is 

 found in small numbers in the Orkneys and Shetlands, thence 

 down both the east and west coasts of Scotland, including many 

 of the Hebrides. Becomes less common in England, where it occurs 

 most frequently in the east. Fairly frequent visitor to Ireland, 

 where it appears to be much overlooked. Breeds locally in Nor- 

 folk, originally only a pair of pinioned birds, but now their 

 descendants together with apparently thoroughly wild birds which 

 have been tempted to lag behind their companions in spring. 

 A fresh-water species, and frequenting inland pools as well as 

 those in the vicinity of the sea. Foreign : Circumpolar : Palsearc- 

 tic and Nearctic regions; Oriental region in winter. Breeds 

 locally in Iceland. Not known to breed in Norway, but does so 

 in the south of Sweden, and more sparingly in North Germany 

 and the Baltic Provinces. Eastwards it ranges across Russia and 

 Siberia to the Stanavoi Mountains, south of about lat. 60°, from 

 east to west. In Europe it certainly breeds as far south as 

 Spain, the valley of the Danube, the Crimea, and the Volga and 

 Ural deltas in South Russia ; whilst eastwards it breeds in 

 Northern Turkestan, South-west Siberia, the Baikal district, and 

 probably the valley of the Amoor. A few European birds 

 winter in Holland, Belgium, France, and the Spanish peninsula,, 

 but the majority do so in the basin of the Mediterranean, 

 extending into the African continent as far south as the Great 



