NOTES—ORIGINAL AND SELECTED.
293
Mortality amongst young Wild Ducks.—A writer in the "Field" of
April 30th states that " an Essex Duck-shooter of many seasons' experience
recently let fall a remark respecting a somewhat curious belief prevalent in
certain quarters. It is to the effect that young wild ducks hatched in May
are seldom reared, as, to use his words, ' they turn on their backs and die.'
It is plain that some ground exists for such belief, for the sportsman referred
to asserts that he himself had seen hundreds of newly-hatched ducks lying
dead in May. Possibly this may be a fact well known to some, and one that
is easily accounted for. Can the mortality be accounted for by the fact that
the increase of temperature usually experienced about May is inimical to
young duck life? The majority of the wild ducks seen in this country are
reared in a climate far less temperate than ours ; thus it is not unreasonable
to infer that young wild ducks thrive best in an atmosphere several degrees
lower than 60° Fahr., a shade temperature often enough reached in this
country at the beginning of May. Or, on the other hand, it might be that the
direct action of the sun's rays, often extremely powerful at this season, may
alone be accountable for the injury."
"Another Essex Decoy" (ante page 234).—In the note under the fore-
going heading my list of Field-Names is quoted as furnishing, as one of them,
'Decoy Pond Mill.' Reference to the original list, as printed, shows that
this should be 'Decoy Pond Field ' — the form cited lower down by the Rev.
W. H. Lowder. While making this slight correction, I take the opportunity
of thanking Mr. E. A. Fitch for his kind reference to my articles.—W. C.
Waller, Loughton.
Spotted Crake (Porzana maruetta, Leach) in the Lea Valley (ante p. 235).
In 1891 a pair bred near "Dobbs Weir," Roydon, on the River Lea. During
June and July, I frequently observed the young brood, five in number, and
in the month of August (as recorded in my former note on page 235), three
of these birds were observed.— E. Jerrard Wills, " Snows," Nazeing.
Terms used by Wildfowlers.—The Field gives an interesting list of the
words used by Wildfowlers in describing gatherings of birds :—A herd or
team of swans ; a gaggle of geese (when settled on land or water); a skein of
geese (when on the wing); a paddling of wild ducks (on the water); a team of
wild ducks (when flying); a sord or suit of mallards; a company of wigeon; a
flight or rush of pochards; a spring of teal; a coil of teal (in East Anglia); a
dapping of sheldrakes; a herd of curlews; a sedge of heron ; a covert of coots ; a
congregation or wing of plover ; a wisp of snipe; a. fling or cloud of dunlin (when
on the wing); a hill of ruffs.
Wildfowlers usually speak of a small number of wildfowl—more particu-
larly when on the wing—as a trip. A little gathering of wigeon, pochard,
teal, and other of the smaller ducks and of shore birds is generally referred
to as a bunch or a little knob.
Spring Arrivals of Birds.—Swallows.—The Rev. Henry Hasted
writes from the Rectory, Pitsea :—"This morning (April 8th) I saw a swallow
in my garden. My servant also saw it. I am inclined to think that its
appearance is unusually early in this part of the world. I have never seen
one so early, although I will allow it is possible that it might have been seen
on the Marshes." "I and my brothers saw a swallow at West Mersea on