A HISTORY OF HEREFORDSHIRE 137. Scaup Duck. Fu/igu/a mari/a (Linn.). Locally, Spoonbill Duck. A winter visitor, departing in the spring, and of much less frequent occurrence here than the last- named duck. One was seen in the flesh at Baker's in 1855. In December, 1890, Mr. W. Merewether shot a female near Hereford, and in January, 1892, another female was killed by Mr. Turner at Lugwar- dine. On 8 January, 1 894, Mr. Wyndham Smith of Aramstone, near Ross, forwarded Ashdown an adult female for preservation, which had been killed near there. On 31 December, 1895, a pair were killed on the Wye near Fawley. On examining their gizzards Mr. Blake found a number of the marine bivalve {Nucula nucleus), which would point to the birds having come from the coast only a few hours previously. 138. Goldeneye. Clangula glaucion (lAnn.). Locally, Brown-headed Duck, Grey-headed Duck, Red Wigeon, Golden-eyed Wigeon, Moril- lon, Rattlewings. A fairly common winter visitor, arriving in October and departing in the spring, and is frequently killed in severe weather here. The Hereford Museum specimens were obtained at Fawley and Weobley. Ashdown says it frequently occurs in the frosty season in the county. In January, 1892, a fully adult female was shot at Moccas, and by a curious coinci- dence an adult male was killed in January, 1893, at the same place ; both were set up in one case for the Rev. Sir George Cornewall, bart., of Moccas Court. In February, 1894, an adult male was shot by Lieutenant James Trevor, on the Wye, and brought to Ashdown for identification. As a rule, the speci- mens obtained here are immature, and an adult male in perfect black and white plumage is most rare. 139. Common Scoter. OeJemia nigra (Linn.). Locally, Black Duck, Black Diver. In hard weather this species is distributed over the various rivers and ponds in the county. On these occasions it sometimes visits the upper reaches of the Wye in Herefordshire. A beautiful specimen was taken at Goodrich in 1891, and was purchased by the committee for the Hereford Museum, and a male specimen of this bird was shot and brought to Ash- down on 13 January, 1894. 140. Goosander. Mergus merganser, Linn. Locally, Dun Diver, Sparling Fowl, Jacksaw, Sawbill. A winter visitor here, and in hard weather in some numbers. A pair were seen near Sellack in the winter of 1854—5, and another at Baker's, Hereford, in 1855. One was found dead in the Wye, near Ross, in 1880, and another shot near Dinedor in 1889. Mr. Blake reported that two female goosanders were shot near the Weir End, Ross, by Mr. Griffin, jun., of the Cleeve Farm, in December, 1902. Mr. Blake adds that he has now seen six female goosanders and only one male specimen, which latter came down the Wye dead on some floating ice. The preponderance of females over males quite agrees with my own observations both on the Wye and Usk, flocks of more than twenty having been seen fishing on the Usk near Buckland without a male among them. 141. Red-breasted Merganser. Mergus serrator, Linn Locally, Red-breasted Goosander. This winter visitor is a much rarer bird than the last-named, and occurs very occasionally on the Wyt. One was shot at Fawley on the Wye in 1890, by Sir Edward Cockburn's son. Some years since I saw the skin of a beautiful male that the late Mr. H. Gwynne-Vaughan had killed in the upper reaches of the Wye not far from the boundary of the county. A male was killed in the county in January, 1905. 142. Smew. Mergus albellus, Linn. Locally, Smee, Red-headed Smew (for young). White Nun, Lough Diver, White-headed Goosander, White Merganser. A very scarce winter visitor. The specimen in the Hereford Museum was most probably shot in the county. Mr. Blake has in his collection a perfect adult female killed on the Wye near Ross in 1895, and also a male obtained by Mr. de Winton. I have observed it once or twice on the Usk, and a most perfect male specimen was killed there in 1891. 143. Ring Dove or Wood Pigeon. Columba palumbus, Linn. Locally, Ring Pigeon, Cushat, Cushie Doo, Queest or Quist. A common resident, its numbers being greatly augmented in the autumn by the arrival of many foreigners. 144. Stock Dove. Columba oenas, Linn. Locally, Stock Pigeon, Wood Pigeon, Wood Dove. A common resident, and has greatly increased during the last few years. Mr. Southall stated in 1884 that they were common in the county. [Rock Dove. Columba livia, J. F. Gmelin. Locally, Wild Pigeon, Rock Pigeon, Wild Dove, Doo, Rockier. This dove which is usually to be found in the various caves on different parts of the sea coast, can only be considered a very occasional visitor to the county, and even this is doubtful. Mr. Pilley states that the rock doves supposed to occur at the Stanner Rock, Kington, are stock doves, and Mr. Southall says that he does not think the rock dove can be con- sidered more than an occasional visitor.] 145. Turtle Dove. Turtur communis, Sdhy. Locally, Turde, Common Turtle, Ring-necked Turtle, Wrekin Dove. A common summer migrant from May to October. 146. Pallas's Sand-grouse. Syrrhaptes paradoxus (?3..i). Mr. B. Sanders of Kingsland states that some years ago (probably 1888) some small grouse flew low down over his head while playing tennis. They were travelling northward, and could only have been sand-grouse. Successive waves of these birds have reached the country from time to time, but the largest immigration was in 1888. 147. Black Grouse. Tetrao tetrix, Linn. Locall-j, Black Cock, Black Game, Heath Cock, Heath Poult, and the female. Grey Hen. An occasional resident. It occurs at Cusop and the Black Mountains, particularly in the neighbour- 142
