A HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE has now become resident and has nested regu- larly since 1880 at Weston Park on the borders of Stafford and Shropshire. About twenty pairs were breeding here in 1900 (H. E. Forrest, Zool. 1900, p. 506). It also breeds at Patshull and is occasionally met with in other parts of the county, at Cheadle in 1886 and not infrequently on the Trent, Willoughbridge in 1892, Aston 1879 (Re- ports North Staffs Field CM, 1894, p. 58). 142. Scaup-Duck. Fuligula marila (Linn.) A winter visitant not uncommon on the Trent during the frost of 1890-1. Lord Lewisham observed several near Wolver- hampton in November 1887 (Reports North Staffs Field Club, 1 143. Goldeneye. Clangula glaucion (Linn.) An occasional winter visitant. Frequently seen near Rolleston, and a female killed on 22 November 1847 (Nat. Hist, of Tutbury, p. 56), one near Burton in 1881 (E. A. Brown), one near Cheadle in the winter of 1888-9, two at Madeley in 1893, and one at Great Gnosall, 6 January 1901 (Report North Staffs Field Club}. [Long-tailed Duck. Harelda glacialis (Linn.) Included in the birds of Staffordshire, but the specimen referred to was killed at Twy- ford in Derbyshire (Nat. Hist, of Tutbury, pp. 56, 109).] 144. Common Scoter. CEdemia nigra (Linn.) A marine species which has frequently visited the Rolleston district. One remained on the pools at Rolleston in January and February 1854 (Nat. Hist, of 'Tut bury ', p. 56). 145. Velvet Scoter. CEdemia fusca (Linn.) Dickenson in 1798 mentions one shot at Batchacre, and Garner (p. 287) gives also Aqualate and Burton-on-Trent, 1841, as localities for this species. 146. Goosander. Mergus merganser, Linn. Locally, Sowgouder (Dickenson), Green- headed Goosander (Garner), obs. An occasional winter visitant. Dickenson in 1798 records it from Aqualate; Sir O. Mosley mentions two, a male shot on the Dove and female killed at Burton in January 1854 (Nat. Hist. of Tutbury, p. 56). A female was shot at Swythamley in 1880 and another at Leigh on 1 1 January 1901 ; the latter was accompanied by a second bird (Report North Sta/s Field Club, 1901). Mr. R. H. Read has observed this bird at Sidway near Wil- loughbridge several times (Report North Staffs Field Club, 1894, p. 58). Three of these birds, a male and two females, were shot on the Sow at Shugborough a few years ago out of a flock and are now in Lord Lichfield's collec- tion (Report North Staffs Field Club, 1903). 147. Red-breasted Merganser. Mergus ser- rator, Linn. Has occasionally been shot in the Trent valley and is given in Garner's list, but with- out particulars (p. 288). One seen at Sid- way near Willoughbridge in the winter of 1880 by Mr. R. H. Read (Report North Staffs Field Club, 1894, p. 58). 148. Smew. Mergus albellus, Linn. Locally, Whiteheaded Goosander (Garner), obs. Sir O. Mosley records two killed at Sudbury on the Dove ' some years ago,' and a male and female shot at Fradley in 1855 (Nat. Hist, of Tutbury, p. 56). Mr. E. A. Brown also speaks of several records from near Burton. 149. Ring-Dove or Wood-Pigeon. Columba palumbus, Linn. Resident and very generally distributed. In winter its numbers are increased by migratory flocks which feed upon acorns in woods during severe weather. 150. Stock Dove. Columba anas, Linn. Not so common as the last species and more local. Nests in hollow trees or thick ivy and in winter associates with wood- pigeons. 151. Turtle-Dove. Turtur communis, Selby. A summer migrant which has extended its range of late years and is common in the middle and south of the county but rare in the north. First observed breeding at Chea- dle in 1887 and now nests there regularly, also at Oakamoor in 1901. 152. Pallas's Sand-Grouse. Syrrhaptes paradoxus (Pallas) The two great immigrations of this central Asian species took place in 1863 and 1888. In the first-named year the two first British examples were shot in Northumberland on 2 1 May, and on the following day three more were killed out of a flock of about twenty near Eccleshall in Staffordshire by a man who was returning home at dusk when the birds flew over his head. In 1888 a female was shot at Rough Hill, Wolverhampton, on 23 May, and in September a male at Ipstones, a moorland village five miles north of Cheadle (Birds of Staffordshire, p. 1 1 3). 154
