210 
J. E. LITTLEBOY-NOTES ON BIRDS 
birds in immature plumage. It is not known to breed, in any 
number, nearer to us than Iceland.” 
9. The Gannet (Sula bassana). —In August last a gannet or 
Solan goose was caught, in a disabled state, by some boys, on waste 
land at Cromb-Hyde, near Sandridge. It has been successfully 
mounted by Mr. Luff, of St. Albans, and is now in the possession 
of Mr. Archer, of Sandridge. I am indebted for this information 
to Mr. Henry Lewis, of St. Albans. The gannet, when mature, 
weighs about 7 lbs., the stretch of its wings reaching, according to 
Montagu, to about 6 feet. It feeds exclusively on fish, and Mr. 
Booth, of Brighton, has estimated that it will readily consume ten 
herrings per day. Its method of fishing is peculiar, and deserves 
notice. When swimming it never dives, but depends solely for its 
success upon the length of its neck. Whenever deep fishing 
is desirable, “it rises * to such a height in the air as experience shows 
best calculated to carry it, by a downward motion, to the required 
depth, and then, partially closing its wings, it falls perpendicularly 
on its prey, and rarely without success.” “So exclusively a sea-bird 
as the gannet seldom voluntarily strays far inland, but probably no 
sea-birds, not even the stormy petrel, are able to weather very 
severe storms, and instances constantly occur when they are driven 
away from their favourite haunts. Hertfordshire is a long way 
from any breeding-place of the gannet; none are found nearer than 
Lundy Island, far away to the west, or the Bass Bock still further 
away to the north, but in winter stray birds are distributed over the 
entire coast.” 
10. The Sheldrake (Tadorna cor nut a). —A sheldrake was shot 
during the Christmas week, 1883, by Mr. Willshin, on the Elstree 
Beservoir. The sheldrake, which is one of the largest and hand¬ 
somest of our British ducks, is resident on numerous sandy reaches 
of our coast-line. It nests in rabbit-holes and other hollows, con¬ 
structing its nest of whatever herbage may happen to be available, 
and lining it with its own down. The eggs of the sheldrake have 
frequently been hatched under hens, and an attempt made to 
domesticate the young on inland ponds ; but such efforts have rarely 
been successful. 
11. The Garganey (Querquedula circia). —Mr. Marlborough B. 
Pryor has been kind enough to send me information respecting a 
garganey duck that was shot during Easter week, 1879, on a 
pond at Bennington, near the residence of Mr. Leonard Proctor. 
The garganey, a beautiful and delicately-marked duck, is a summer 
visitant to the British Isles, breeding sparingly in the eastern 
counties. It ranks in size between the widgeon and the teal, and 
has sometimes been styled “ the summer teal.” It is a rare bird in 
the inland counties, and is a welcome addition to our register. 
12. The Shoveller (Spatula clypeata). —In the month of August, 
1882, a shoveller was killed on the river Lea, near Wheathampstead, 
and given to Mr. George Dickenson, Leasey Bridge Earm. It is 
* Yarrell’s ‘ British Birds,’ 4th ed., vol. iv, p. 159. 
