Page:The Zoologist, 3rd series, vol 1 (1877).djvu/510

484 occasional visitor in autumn. One was shot at Peniston's Pond on October 10th, 1874, and a few days later I stalked another in vain at the same place. Capt. Rooke, 53rd Regiment, shot one in Devonshire Swamp in November, 1874. I am not aware of the occurrence of the European Q. crecca, or common Teal, in Bermuda. It occurs as a straggler in North America. [Four were shot by Lieut. Tallents, of the 20lh Regiment, in the autumn of 1875.— H.D.]

Querquedula discors, Blue-winged Teal.—A frequent visitor on its way south, but rarely seen on its northward journey; most numerous in October. Nine couple were killed in Pen)broke Marsh after the gale of the 22nd October, 1854, and many more at St. David's Island, where a native sportsman is said to have killed sixteen couple during the gale (Hurdis). I obtained several specimens in October and November, 1874, and saw two, one of which I knocked down, but unfortunately lost, in the mangrove swamp near the Sluice-gates, on April 30th, 1875.

Spatula clypeata, Shoveller.—"A single female specimen was shot in December, 1844, by Mr. C.B. Fozard" (Nat. in B., p. 47).

Aix sponsa, Summer Duck; Wood Duck.—"A female bird of this species was shot by Dr. Cole, 20lh Regiment, on the 16th December, 1846" (Nat. in B., p. 48).

Fuligula affinis, Lesser Scaup Duck.—To make matters clear, in treating of this species, I must call in the aid of Dr. Coues, who says, in his 'Birds of the North-West' (p. 574):—"Authors are at variance concerning the relationship of the bird to the preceding (F. marila), and the question is not yet settled. For myself I am rather inclined to keep the two apart, notwithstanding their very close resemblance, and admitting the probability that intermediate examples may be found. There appears to be something different in their range, the F. affinis being the more southerly. Not that it does not in the breeding season reach as high latitudes as the other, but that its autumnal movement is pushed to the West Indies and Central America, where the true F. marila is not recorded as occurring. It is improbable that two varieties, if they be really such, should preserve this difference." Armed with this authority, I think I may safely refer the specimens of the Scaup chronicled in 'The Naturalist in Bermuda,' all of which measured only 16 to 162- inches in length, to this smaller species, F. affinis. The length of F. marila varies from 19 to 20½ inches. The