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 BIRDS having been seen at Bardon by Mr. Grundy ; one vras killed near Wanlip Hall and was added by the Dowager Lady Palmer, to Mr. Gisborne's extensive collection at Yoxall Lodge, and another was killed at Groby. Harley wrote : ' It has occurred on the Soar at Loughborough and also at Groby Pool, as I learn from Mr. Chaplin.' Mr. W. Brookes, of Croft, reports that, in the winter of 1 870-1, ten wild swans came on to the flooded meadow below Narborough, where one or two of them were shot. 127. Bewick's Swan. Cygnus bewuki, Yarrell. The addition of this rarity to the county fauna rests on the authority of Mr. Otto Murray-Dixon, who told me and recorded in the Field that thirty arrived on Swithland Reservoir 27 Feb., 1904,- and departed, flying N.E., 7 March, 1904. None was shot, but Mr. Murray Dixon observed them closely several times through powerful field glasses and says he could not have been mistaken. They appeared again in 19056, and on 28 Dec., 1906, Mr. G. Frisby observed them and writes : ' I was sure of six, but I believe eight of these birds were on the Reser- voir on this date, not far from the mute swans (about 80 or 100 yds.). It is three years since this swan was here. To identify the last two mentioned, I had to tramp through 8 to 10 in. of snow and deep drifts, but I was repaid.' 128. Mute Swan. Cygntu olor (J. F. Gmelin). Locally, Tame Swan. An introduced species and now domesticated. It breeds at the Abbey Park, Leicester, Thornton Reser- voir, and other places in the county. As this swan is truly feral in some parts of northern Europe, it may be that some of those reported as being shot with whoopers &c., in hard winters, are not escaped tame birds as usually supposed. 129. Common Sheldrake. Tadorna cornuta (S. G. Gmelin). Locally, Bar-Gander, Burrow-Duck, Shield-Duck, Shell-Duck. Of accidental occurrence. The late Dr. Macaulay recorded (Mid. Nat. 1882, p. 78) : 'Three were shot at Barkby in 1880, and I saw one of them, a male, in the possession of a bird-stufter named Donnell.' The date, however, should be February, 1 88 1, when I saw the bird in question, which was a young male. Mr. A. Dalby, of Castle Donington, reports seeing a pair in the spring of 1892, also in January, 1893, and on 19 Jan., 1895. Mr. O. Murray-Dixon saw four on Swithland Reservoir, some time in June, 1903. Mr. W. J. Horn saw a pair on 28 Feb., 1900, on the flooded waters of the Welland, on the Leices- tershire side, below Rockingham. 130. Mallard or Wild Duck. Anas boscas, Linn. Resident and generally distributed. I shot one (a female) within two fields of the tram line, at Ayle- stone, 23 Jan., 1886. Harley records that in his youth he saw a nest built in the crown of a pollard willow, in a small marshy meadow by the brook which falls into the Soar near Loughborough. After the young were hatched, the female was observed to induce them to leave the tree by emitting a shrill cry, and reaching the ground in safety the little ones were then led away by the mother to the adjacent brook. Mr. T. Groves reported that he saw a duck sitting on a clutch of eleven eggs deposited in an oak tree, at a height of 10 ft. from the ground, in Bradgate Park in 1 88 1. In the spring of 1887 a female bird (appar- ently, as I am informed, of this speJes) joined some tame ' Aylesburys ' belonging to Mr. Kellett, on the Soar which flows past his house on the Aylestone Road, and after some time became sufficiently tame to go with them into the fowl-house each night. It never, however, availed itself of the ladder up which the other ducks waddled from the water, but always flew from the water into the garden. It went away several times, but ultimately made a nest in a willow- tree on the river, close to the main tram-road, and laid eggs ; but as unfortunately both bird and eggs disappeared one night it was thought to have been killed or stolen. The wild duck is seldom absent from the Belvoir lake or reservoir, where it breeds regularly, as it does also at Rolleston and Saddington. Harley wrote : ' I have also to record the capture of an exceedingly beautiful mallard, met with at Ulles- thorpe in this county in a wild state, which bore all the marks of hybridity,' but he did not describe its appearance. From what he had previously written, however, I should assume he intended to convey the idea that it was a hybrid between the wild duck and the muscovy duck. 131. Gadwall. Anas strepera, Linn. This rare straggler, a new record for the county, fell to the gun of the late Major Jary, J.P., F.Z.S., of Bitteswell Hall, Lutterworth, who informed me that he had shot it, a female, at that place on 25 Oct., 1890, and had forwarded it to the Rev. H. T. Frere, of Burston, Norfolk, who recorded it in the Zool. of Dec. 1890, p. 464. It is now in the museum. 132. Shoveler. Spatula clyfeata (Linn.). A rare winter visitant. Mr. Babington (Potter, op. cit. App. p. 69) wrote : ' Killed near Charnwood Heath. In the collection at Yoxall Lodge.' Harley remarked that in his day, the shoveler occurred on most of our large pools and waters, as for example Groby and Barratt, usually during severe weather ; and further added : ' Shot on Groby Pool by Chaplin.' Col. Palmer, of Withcote Hall, possesses a mounted specimen, shot on the pool there in the winter of 1860. The late Dr. Macau'ay recorded (Mid. Nat. 1882, p. 79) that the 'Rev. A. Matthews, some years since, got two at one shot, at Gumley.' The late Mr. Widdowson's diary records one killed at Syston, 29 Sept., 1868. Mr. W. Whitaker, of Wis- tow Grange, killed one on Thornton Reservoir, in August, 1878. Mr. W. A. Vice showed me a fine female specimen shot on the mill-stream, Blaby, about 1879. This duck has been observed at Swithland Reservoir by Mr. O. Murray-Dixon, who saw five (two drakes and three ducks) on I Feb., 1904 ; two drakes and several ducks, 24 Dec., 1905 ; and one duck on 25 Dec., 1905. Mr. G. Frisby also saw some, 10 Dec., 1906, at the same place. Mr. W. J. Horn observed one, a male, on 20 April, 1903, on Sad- dington Reservoir. 133. Pintail. Dajila acuta (Linn.). An uncommon winter visitant. Harley recorded that Chaplin shot a fine pair in female plumage, on the 141