1782 Birds. 



was killed amongst some widgeon, and was observed to be much 

 tamer than those birds, and to swim very deep in the water ; which I 

 regret to add, is all the information that I am at present able to give 

 respecting the habits of this pochard. 



William R. Fisher. 



5, Verulam Buildings, Gray's Inn, 

 April 20th, 1847. 



The Pochard breeding in Norfolk. — I have this morning received from the Rev. 

 T. C. Haddon, Incumbent of Tunstall, Norfolk, a pochard or dun-bird {Fuligula ferina), 

 which he informs me was killed yesterday on Tunstall marshes, bordering the river 

 Bure, by Mr. Christmas Francis, an experienced marshman and gunner. The speci- 

 men is a male, in his second or third year. As far as I can learn from books or en- 

 quiry, the fact of a pochard being killed in England, in the month of June, is of very 

 rare occurrence ; at all events it has not happened for many years, and I am therefore 

 anxious to give it publicity through your pages. As regards its breeding in this coun- 

 try, Messrs. Gurney and Fisher, in their very valuable ' Account of Norfolk Birds,' 

 state that the pochard is common in autumn and spring, and frequent in winter, and 

 " has been occasionally known to breed in the county.'' But upon mentioning the 

 matter to Mr. Fisher, who saw my bird soon after I received it, I find that he is not 

 aware of any such breeding for many years past. 



Messrs. Whitear and Shepherd, in their well known Catalogue of 1825, mention 

 that " the pochard breeds at Scoulton Mere.'' But Mr. Lubbock, in his interesting 

 ' Observations on the Fauna of Norfolk,' after quoting a memorandum of the late Mr. 

 Girdlestone, who "was informed that this duck has bred upon Scoulton Mere," 

 expressly tells us, that the pochard has ceased to breed there ; and as no other breed- 

 ing-place has been suggested in that county, I presume none is known. 



I am therefore most happy to have the opportunity of informing both ornithologists 

 and sportsmen, that this duck, considered by gourmands as the English canvass-back, 

 has again appeared as a summer resident here. Of course I cannot say, for certain, 

 that the pochard has bred or paired in Norfolk this year, but the fact is all but proved 

 by the occurrence there of an adult male bird in the middle of the breeding season. 

 — W. F. W. Bird ; 5, Verulam Buildings, Gray's Inn, June 4th, 1847. 



Occurrence of a Specimen of Larus Rossii near Tadcaster. — A short time since I was 

 shewn by Mr. Graham (the very excellent bird-preserver in Spurriergate), a beautiful 

 gull which had been shot near Tadcaster; and its characters not agreeing with those 

 of any species appearing in Mr. Yarrell's ' History of British Birds,' with the per- 

 mission of its owner, and of William Milner, Esq., of Nun Appleton, to whom the op- 

 portunity of purchasing the specimen had been promised, I sent it to Mr. Yarrell, 

 stating at the same time, that if the gull were new or rare as a British bird, any infor- 

 mation on the subject would be highly acceptable for publication in the Proceedings 

 of this Society. From Mr. Yarrell's acknowledgment* of the receipt of the bird, and 

 obliging reply to my inquiries, I make the following extract : — 



* Dated Ryder-street, St. James's, March 23rd, 1847. 



