Page:The Zoologist, 1st series, vol 4 (1846).djvu/212

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1378
Birds.

the teal ; and we believe has been occasionally known to breed in Norfolk.

Eider Duck, Somateria mollissima. We have seen immature ex- amples of the eider duck, which have been killed on the coast.

Steller's Western Duck, Somateria dispar. An adult male speci- men was killed at Caister, near Yarmouth, in February, 1830, and is now in the Norwich Museum.

King Duck, Somateria spectabilis. The capture of a female on Breydon, in July, 1813, is recorded by the Messrs. Paget, on the authority of Mr. Wigg ; and we have seen a male bird which is said to have been killed near Lowestoff, though we do not place much reliance on the authority for this latter example.

Velvet Scoter, Oidemia fusca. Occasionally killed in winter, mostly on the coast, but not exclusively so.

Common Scoter, Oidemia nigra. Very common on the coast in winter, and sometimes occurs inland We have noticed the occur- rence of the immature bird in the month of July.

Red-crested Whistling Duck, Fuligula rufina. Has occurred several times in Norfolk. A description of a male specimen in very fine adult plumage, which was killed on Horsea-mere, on the 12th of January, 1844, occurs in the 'Zoologist,' (Zool. 576).

Pochard, Fuligula ferina. Common in autumn and spring, and frequently in winter, and has been occasionally known to breed in the county.

Ferruginous Duck, Fuligula nyroca. Sometimes met with in autumn and spring. A male bird, taken several years ago in a decoy near Holt, is still living in a state of confinement and perfectly healthy.

The following engraving represents a bird, intermediate in size, between the ferruginous duck and the common pochard, and probably a hybrid, the occurrence of which on Rollesby broad, in February, 1845, is mentioned in the 'Zoologist,' (Zool. 1137). The beak, legs, and feet closely resemble in form and size those of the common po- chard. The back and wing coverts are freckled, and the tips of the feathers on the belly are changing from their original yellowish brown colour and assuming a freckled appearance. The flanks are freckled. The eyes are yellowish white, and it is remarkable that although the bird is decidedly smaller than the common pochard, the eyes when removed from the head, were found to be much larger than those of the latter bird. The head and neck are of a rich chestnut, which at the lower part of the neck (where the common pochard becomes