on many waters in England, and no doubt many of the captures of ruddy sheld-ducks which are reported are referable to unpinioned escaped birds; but apparently some of the birds of this species shot in England, notably in 1892, were genuine wild birds. We have no trustworthy record of such an occurrence in Buckinghamshire, but Mr. Vyse (Zoologist, 1892, p. 360) informs us that 'during the past four years ten were bred at Stoke Park near Slough, of which only a few were caught and pinioned, while the rest flew away, usually when the frost and snow came.' Probably all winter captures deal with escaped birds, while the summer records may possibly refer to genuine wild birds.
126. Egyptian Goose. Chenalopex <egyptiacus (Linn.).
J. W. Owen (Field, November 19, 1859, p. 425) says : ' A fine specimen was shot on November 1 at Marlow.' It is supposed to have been driven there during preceding gales, as it presented no appearance of ever having been in confinement. We are inclined to think that it must have escaped from some pond.
127. Mallard or Wild Duck. Anas boscas, Linn.
Common in all suitable localities.
128. Shoveler. Spatula dypeata (Linn.).
A somewhat scarce winter visitor on larger waters. Near the Tring reservoirs, close to the Buckinghamshire border, two or three pairs have been breeding regularly for at least ten or twelve years. On the Weston Tur- ville (Halton) reservoir it has sometimes been seen in winter. From the old manuscript at Dinton Hall we learn that it was shot there on September 10, 1774, and that four were seen, one of which was shot on August 29, 1800, at the place.
129. Pintail. Dafila acuta (Linn.).
Will most likely occur occasionally in win- ter, though we have no exact records beyond Clark Kennedy's statement (p. 122) that it was shot on a sheet of ice in Stoke Park by a man named Gregory in the winter of 1863. According to the same author ' the Rev. H. H. Crewe states that this species visits the reser- voirs at Marsworth, Wilstone and Weston Turville every winter in considerable num- bers.' This statement is no doubt erroneous, as we have only two single records of birds shot on Tring reservoirs, in February 1892 and December 1893, but the latter had ap- parently escaped from a pond near Tring, where several had been kept in a semi-wild state.
130. Teal. Nettion crecca (Linn.).
A regular winter visitor to the reservoirs, streams and rivers. It has also nested near Burnham (Kennedy, p. 124), in small num- bers on and near the reservoirs near Tring, and, according to the late Lionel Wigles- worth, not far from Castlethorpe. On the western Turville reservoirs flocks are often seen in winter.
131. Garganey. Querquedula circia (Linn.).
Occurs doubtless occasionally in winter, but we have no records. It has not occurred on the reservoirs near Tring within the last few years, though at least one specimen was killed there in 1846 or 1847 and seen by one of us.
132. Wigeon. Mareca penelope (Linn.).
The wigeon is a common winter visitor, generally from October onwards, to the rivers and reservoirs of the county.
133. Red-crested Pochard. Netta rufina (Pallas).
The bird reported by W. Rothschild to Mr. Littleboy as a female of this species (shot at the Tring reservoirs in September 1887) turned out to be an abnormally coloured fe- male of the common scoter, (Edemia nigra. A large flock of some forty individuals visited Wilstone reservoir, of which Walter Roth- schild himself shot four males and two females, of which three males and one female are now in the Tring Museum, the remaining pair having been given to Mr. J. G. Millais.
134. Pochard. Fuligula ferina (Linn.).
A frequent winter visitor to all larger waters of the county and breeding in some numbers on the Weston Turville (Halton) and Tring reservoirs. Full clutches of eggs are found about the middle of May. It must have been breeding in the county long ago, as a specimen was shot at Dinton Hall on June 16, 1825.
135. Baer's Pochard. Fuligula baeri, Radde. On November 5, 1901, the Hon. N.Charles Rothschild obtained a male specimen of this rare duck a few hundred yards from the border of Buckinghamshire on one of the Tring reservoirs. It was shot by a gentleman stand- ing close to him, and he at once remarked that it was an unusual duck and took it home with him. It is a male in moult, changing to the full winter plumage, which it has nearly acquired. The colours of the soft parts were put down by one of us as fol-
145
