THE GUN AT HOME AND ABROAD 
present species may be easily distinguished at a glance from the female 
mallard. Total length about 19*5 inches; bill 1*5 inch; wing 9*5 inches; 
tail 3*4 inches; tarsus 1*5 inch. 
General distribution . — The gadwall is found throughout the greater 
part of the northern hemisphere, but does not extend into the Arctic 
regions. It breeds in small numbers in Iceland, and in Europe from 
Southern Sweden, the Baltic Provinces and Russia (extending, according to 
Saunders, as far north as Archangel) southwards in suitable localities to 
Spain and the northern shores of the Black Sea. In Asia it extends east- 
wards through Southern Siberia south of about 60° N. latitude to the 
Pacific, and southwards to the Caspian and North Turkestan. In winter it 
visits the basin of the Mediterranean and the inland waters of North Africa, 
following the Nile Valley into Nubia and Abyssinia. From October till 
April it is one of the most plentiful ducks in North India, but is less numer- 
ous in China and Japan. In North America it is generally distributed 
in the breeding-season over the Northern United States, and winters in 
the Southern States, Mexico and the West Indies. 
Distribution in the British Isles . — Though a somewhat scarce winter - 
visitor to the British Isles, the gadwall is resident in some parts, breeding 
in considerable numbers in Norfolk and Suffolk, and of late years in two 
localities in the south of Scotland. The nesting of this species in Norfolk 
commenced in the middle of last century, when a pair of pinioned gad- 
walls induced wild birds to remain and breed. Though a comparatively 
scarce and uncertain winter -visitor in most other parts, it is tolerably 
numerous in the Hebrides, and is said to be abundant in Tiree. It is rare 
in the west of England and Wales, and uncommon in the east. In Ireland 
it is irregularly distributed, but is probably more numerous than is 
supposed. 
Nest and eggs . — ^The nest is much like that of the mallard; the eggs, 
from eight to thirteen in number, vary from cream -colour to greyish - 
green, and measure about 2*15 by 1 *5 inches. They are laid in May and 
June. 
The gadwall is chiefly a night -feeder, and subsists largely on grain and 
vegetable matter: its flesh is excellent. It prefers fresh -water lakes which 
afford plenty of covert, and owing to its retiring habits is often over- 
looked. 
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