Notes and Letters on the Natural History of Norfolk: More Especially on the Birds and Fishes — John Shaqi
Notes and Letters on the Natural History of Norfolk: More Especially on the Birds and FishesBrowne, Thomas, Sir
History
Notes and Letters on the Natural History of Norfolk: More Especially on the Birds and Fishes
Browne, Thomas, Sir
Natural history -- England -- Norfolk
[22] The local names of the various Ducks are simply legion and
differ both in time and place, not to mention the confusion
occasioned by sex and season when these birds were not so well
understood as at present. Many such names are quite lost, as
"Ankers" and "Noblets," but the following are a few examples: Adult
Smew, White Nun; female or immature Smew, Wesel Coot; the Wigeon
was known as the Smee, Whewer, or Whim; the Tufted Duck, Arts or
Arps; the Gadwall, Grey Duck or Rodge; the Pochard, Dunbird; the
Shoveller, Beck or Kertlutock (Hunt); Pintail, Sea Pheasant or
Cracker; Long-tailed Duck, Mealy Bird; Golden Eye, Morillon or
Rattle-wing; Scaup, Grey-back, and on Breydon White-nosed Day Fowl;
Scoter, Whilk; Velvet Scoter, Double Scoter (Hunt); Teal, Crick;
Garganey, Summer Teal, Pied Wigeon, Cricket Teal; other names might
be mentioned, and some will be found in the notes which will
follow. _Anas platyrhincus_ here mentioned is the Shoveller. It may
seem strange that the abundance of Teal should in any way be
attributed to the number of Decoys, but such was really the case,
the quiet and shelter afforded by these extensive preserves being
very favourable to the increase of all the members of the Duck
family, especially to those breeding in their immediate
neighbourhood. In the returns of the old Decoys, Teal figured
largely; in the present day they form a very much smaller
proportion of the spoils.
the most remarkable are Anas platyrinchos [_sic_] a remarkably broad
bild duck.
And the sea phaysant holding some resemblance unto that bird [in the
tayle _crossed out_] in some fethers in the tayle.
Teale Querquedula. wherein scarce any place more abounding. the
condition of the country & the very many decoys [mo _struck out_]
especially between Norwich and the sea making this place very much to
abound in wild fowle.
fulicæ cottæ cootes[23] in very great flocks upon the broad waters. upon
the appearance of a Kite or buzzard I have seen them vnite from all
parts of the shoare in strange numbers when if the Kite stoopes neare
them they will fling up [and] spred such a flash of water up with there
wings that they will endanger the Kite. & so [es _struck out_] keepe him
of [in of _struck out_] agayne & agayne in open opposition. & an
handsome prouision they make about their nest agaynst the same bird of
praye by bending & twining the rushes & reeds so about them that they
cannot stoope at their yong ones or the damme while she setteth.
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