WHOOPER SWAN COMMON SHELDRAKE — WIGEON. 
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WHOOPER SWAN, Gygnus musicus^ Bechstein. 
“Elk,” “Whistling Swan,” “Wild Swan.” 
An uncommon winter visitant. — Mr Babington (Appendix ‘ Potter,’ p. 69) 
said of this species : — “ Gygnus ferus. Whistling Swan. Seen at Bardon, by 
Mr. Grrundy, formerly. One killed near Wanlip Hall was added, by the 
Dowager Lady Palmer, to Mr. Gisborne’s extensive collection at Yoxall Lodge ; 
and I hear from Mr. Bloxam, that another has been killed at Groby.” Harley 
wi’ote : — “It has occurred on the Soar at Loughborough, and also at Groby Pool, 
as I learn from Mr. Chaplin. W. Chaplin died on 20th October, 1855.” Mr. 
W. Brookes, of Croft, writes me that, in the winter of 1870-1, ten Wild Swans 
came on to the flooded meadows below Narborough, where one or two of them 
were shot. He says : — “ I went out one morning in a very thick fog, and got 
near them on the floods above Croft, in the direction of Sapcote. I fired at 
them, and they rose into the air and flew about in various directions. I ran 
forward, and stood under a bush by the river- side and killed two as they 
passed me. Soon afterwards, they all went away but one, which we supposed 
was wounded, and that remained for a good while, till one day it was with 
some Geese just below the village (Croft), when all the guns in the place were 
turned out and we surrounded the field, and Mr. James Pratt of Croft killed 
it.’’ Mr. Brookes adds that one of the birds which he killed weighed 19 lbs., 
the other, he believes, 17 lbs. 
In Rutland. — The Earl of Gainsborough writes : — “ Reported to have been 
seen at Luffenham, by Mr. H. Bromley, in 1885.” 
COIMIMON SHELDRAKE. Tadorna cornuta (S. G. Gmelin). 
“Bar-Gander,” “Burrow-Duck," “Shield-Duck,” “Shell- 
Duck.” 
Of accidental occurrence. — Mr. Macaulay records (‘Mid. Nat.,’ 1882, p. 78): — 
“ Three were shot at Barkby in 1880, and I saw one of them, a male, in 
the possession of a bird-stuffer named Donnell.” The date, however, should be 
February, 1881, when I saw the bird in question, which was a young male. 
In Rutland. — As in Leicestershire, this handsomely plumaged Duck is but 
of accidental occurrence. — Lord Gainsborough told me that, in September, 1887, 
he saw a Duck flying over Exton Park, which appeared to be of this species ; and 
this was probably the case, as Masters was fortunate enough to shoot a female 
on Burley Ponds on 14th Dec., 1888. 
WIGEON. Mareca penelope (Linnaeus). 
“ Smee,” “ Whew Duck.” 
A winter visitant. Not uncommon on the rivers Soar and Trent, as well 
as on large sheets of water such as Saddington and Knipton Reservoirs. — On 
K 
