195 



GADWALL. 



Anas strepera, ..... Tjosrssas. 



Chauliodus strepera, ..... Swacs'sos. 



Canard ehipeau, ..... Tejihinck. 



Anas — A Duck. Strepera — Xoisy, from Strepo — To make a noise. 



The Gadwall is a rare bird in this country, and we have but on one occasion seen 

 specimens recently killed; in 1852, we examined a male and female, which had been 

 purchased in the York market, by Mr. D. Graham, the talented taxidermist of that 

 city; they are now in the possession of our brother, Frederick P. Morris, Esq., of Lincoln's 

 Inn, London. Specimens have been obtained in the counties of Cambridge, Cornwall, 

 Devon, Essex, Kent as recorded by the Eev. J. P. Bartlett, Norfolk, Oxford two or three 

 times, Suffolk, and Yorkshire. In Scotland it has not been met with on the main- 

 land, so far as Ave are aware, but it is now and then obtained in Sanday, one of the 

 Orkney Islands. 



In Ireland it is, according to Mr. Thompson, of rare occurrence. 



Abroad, it is met with rarely in Sweden, very commonly in Holland, less frequently 

 in France, Italy, and Switzerland. It is a winter visitor to the Islands of Sicily, Malta, 

 and Corfu. It is met with in North Africa, the Caucasus, India, and North America. 



The Gadwall is considered excellent for the table. 



In its habits it is shy, hiding itself among thick reeds and rushes; it flies with 

 great rapidity, and dives with much celerity, so much so that it is not easy to shoot it 

 when sitting on the water. It feeds not only at morning and evening twilight, but also 

 during the day. 



Like the rest of the family it is monogamous. 



Its note is said to be much like that of the Mallard, but more sonorous. 



Its food consists, according to Yarrell, of vegetable matters, aquatic insects, and small 

 fish. 



The nest is formed of dry grass, and lined with clown; in it are deposited seven or 

 eight eggs, of a "uniform buffy white, tinged with green, and measure two inches two 

 lines in length, by one inch eight lines in breadth." 



