A HISTORY OF LEICESTERSHIRE banks of Groby Pool, in November, 1845, and that during the year several other examples were shot in various parts of the county. Mr. John Hunt, for- merly of Leicester, informed me that some time about 1880 he shot one at Kilby Bridge. Early in 1902 Dr. E. Young shot a fine male in Narborough Bogs, which he presented to the museum. 134. Common Teal. Nation crecca (Linn.). Resident, but sparingly distributed. The late Dr. Macaulay recorded (Mid. Nat. 1882, p. ll) that he had shot this species on Saddington Reservoir and out of the River Welland. Mr. Ingram writes : 'Visits the Knipton Reservoir and the lakes at Belvoir.' Mr. W. A. Vice, M.B., of Blaby Mills, showed me a specimen shot on the mill-stream, and I have also seen a fine male, shot by Mr. Bevans some years ago at the Abbey Meadow. In the spring of 1825 Hurley came across a brood in a pond choked with rushes and sedges near Dishley Mill. The nest, composed of rushes and grass and lined with down, was carefully concealed beneath a small shrub which overhung the pond. Both parents assisted in the care of the young. In 1844 there was another nest of this species on the banks of Groby Pool, where the young, seven in number, came abroad early in the month of June. Mr. G. Frisby, under date 24 Dec., 1906, reports 'a good number at Swith- land Reservoir.' Mr. W. J. Horn writes in 1907 : ' I have seen this bird on Saddington Reservoir and the Upper Welland. I March, 1902, I saw one at Ashley. I have no record of its having nested in this district, but on 10 June, 1901, I flushed two males from the Welland adjoining the Market Har- borough Sewage Farm.' Mr. H. S. Davenport shot a male at Billesdon 12 Dec., 1890. 135. Garganey. Querjuedula circia (Linn.). Locally, Summer Teal. A rare summer visitant. It is here included on the authority of the late Dr. Macaulay, who (Mid. Nat. 1 88 1, p. 256) shot four (at one shot) at Sad- dington Reservoir, in July, 1 868. Unfortunately so little interest attached to these specimens that they were all eaten. 136. Wigeon. Mareca penelope (Linn.). Locally, Smee, Whew Duck. A winter visitant. Not uncommon on the rivers Soar and Trent, as well as on large sheets of water, such as Saddington and Knipton Reservoirs. On 28 April, 1886, two were procured at Belvoir ; both were males one a beautiful adult, the other imma- ture and are now in the museum. Mr. O. Murray- Dixon saw a flock of twenty on Swithland Reservoir 1 6 Dec., 1903, and Mr. G. Frisby observed it there so late in the spring as 12 May, 1906, and four returned on 20 Sept., 1906. Mr. W. J. Horn writes in 1 907 : ' I have seen several on Saddington Reservoir. On I March, 1902, I saw three on the Welland, near Ashley Station.' 137. Pochard. Fuligula fenna (Linn.). Locally, Dunbird, Poker-Duck (a corruption). A winter visitant, occurring occasionally. Harley observed that the species was met with on Groby Pool and other waters in different parts of the county, in the winter of 1841-2. He also stated that Mr. Babington's MS. notes contain a record of the occurrence of this bird at Kegworth. The late Mr. Widdowson's diary records one killed at Leesthorpe on 29 June, 1 867. The late Dr. Macaulay reported one shot at Thornton Reservoir in 1883. The Rev. G. D. Armitage informed me that on 8 Feb., 1884, ' seven came to the mill-dam at Broughton Astley and five were shot by Mr. C. W. Berridge, who has one male bird now stuffed.' A male pochard was obtained at Saddington Reservoir, 15 Jan., 1886, by Mr. A. K. Perkins. Mr. W. A. Evans shot one on Saddington Reservoir on 23 Feb., 1889. Both speci- mens are now in the museum. Mr. S. H. Pilgrim received from the Rev. A. F. Aylward, of Enderby, a fine male specimen which had been shot by him at that place on 3 Jan., 1893. Mr. O. Murray-Dixon shot two drakes and a duck on Swithland Reservoir on 8 Oct., 1906, and Mr. G. Frisby reports it there on 1 6 Oct., 1906, and as being 'fairly abundant recently,' under date 24 Dec., 1906. Mr. W. J. Horn writes in 1907: 'On 1 8 March, 1899, I saw seven on Saddington Reservoir, and on 20 April, 1903, I saw a male and a female at the same place. On 7 June, 1902, I visited Saddington Reservoir, and Stafford, the keeper, informed me that a pair of pochards had that year nested on the island. The female was sitting on seven eggs on Whit Sunday, but Mr. Evans camped on the island for two or three days, causing her to desert. Stafford placed the eggs under a hen, but without result. I did not see the birds, but Stafford said they were still on the reservoir, he having seen them that morning. I saw the nest, it was composed of dead leaves, but unfortunately there was no down.' Mr. A. Dalby, of Castle Donington, had a male brought to him 12 Jan., 1895, which is preserved and is now in his possession. 138. Tufted Duck. Fufigula cristata (Leach). Locally, Crested Pochard, Tufted Pochard, Tufted Scaup. Not uncommon in winter, but does not appear to remain to breed. Mr. Babington (Potter, op. cit. App.) stated that it had been shot at Groby by Lord Stamford's keeper. Harley recorded that it had been killed frequently on the River Soar, as well as upon several large pools in the county, and that in the winter of 1840 it appeared in small flocks. On Groby Pool Chaplin shot many examples, and Harley was assured it was found no less abundantly in other localities. Again, in March, 1845, several were seen on the Soar and other streams. The thermometer on the I ithand 1 2th of that month fell to 10 degrees Fahrenheit, and in some localities to 3 degrees below zero a degree of cold not experienced, he remarked, since 1838. At Groby Pool the wild-fowl tarried late, but on the break up of the frost, on the 1 4th of the month, they disappeared entirely. Mr. C. Mar- riott informs me that a male was shot at Cotesbach by the keeper, John Freer, circa 1860. Sir George Beaumont wrote to the late Dr. Macaulay that one was killed at Coleorton Hall in 1865. Dr. Macaulay shot one at Saddington Reservoir on 2 Dec., 1880, and recorded (Mid. Nat. 1883, p. 85) that one was killed by Lord Boyle at the Reservoir on 1 1 Jan., 1882. Mr. Ingram wrote: 'Specimen shot on the Belvoir Lake in winter,' and one (a male) was sent by him to the museum, shot by the keeper, 142
