114 'ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



ground. The Hawk, however, alighted after proceeding a short dis- 

 tance, and on my approach flew away, leaving a fine Magpie freshly 

 killed and partly eaten about the neck. I do not find any mention 

 made of the Sparrow Hawk preying upon such a formidable bird as 

 the Magpie, and I think the incident worthy of record. BRUCE 

 CAMPBELL, Edinburgh. 



Golden Eagle attacking a Stag. On September 22nd I saw a 

 Golden Eagle attack an ordinary-sized stag and strike it about the 

 head ; but the stag got clear, and made a desperate rush into the 

 thickest part of the wood. The Eagle then hovered above the trees, 

 and seemed puzzled at losing its prey. Two more Eagles then made 

 their appearance. They seemed to be young ones, but in full plum- 

 age. This took place in the wood above Glasonoic known as the 

 Black Wood (in Glen Kishorn). I have never before seen a case 

 of an Eagle attacking a full-grown deer, although I have seen one 

 kill and devour a young deer calf. DONALD MATHESON, Kinloch, 

 Shieldaig, West Ross. 



Widgeon (Mareca penelope) on the White Loeh of Myreton, 

 Wigtownshire. The White Loch of Myreton, a sheet of water about 

 half a mile in length, lies in the park at Monreith, Wigtownshire. 

 Camden, Holinshed, and other chroniclers followed one another in 

 declaring that it never froze in the hardest winters. This I can 

 testify to be incorrect, for I have repeatedly seen it sheeted with 

 strong ice from end to end. For forty years it has been treated as a 

 sanctuary for wild-fowl. It is regularly frequented by great numbers 

 of Mallard, Teal, Pochard, Tufted Duck, Coots, and Waterhens. A 

 few brace of Golden-Eye visit it occasionally, and among rarer 

 visitors have been Wild Swans, Goosanders (I once counted nine of 

 these), and Bittern. Cormorants and Seagulls of various kinds 

 disport themselves on it, and Herons sometimes breed in the woods 

 around, but not regularly. But long as I have known this lake, and 

 much time as I have spent with the spy-glass examining birds on its 

 surface, I never saw the common Widgeon there till three years ago. 

 This is the more remarkable, because on the sea coast, not a mile 

 distant, and in Wigtown and Luce Bays, and also on other fresh- 

 water lakes in the county, Widgeon are extremely plentiful. Three 

 years ago I spied five Widgeon, much to my delight ; for they are the 

 liveliest and most graceful of all British ducks, and their wild whistle 

 adds a great charm to the winter landscape. Since that time Widgeon 

 have visited it in ever-increasing numbers, until, during the present 

 season, there is a flock of 150 or 200 constantly upon it. I 

 attribute this to the great increase in Canadian pond-weed (Elodea 

 canadensis, Hooker ; Anachcris alsinastrum, Babington). The winter 

 winds drive this ashore in great swathes, much to the benefit of my 

 delightful visitors. I need hardly observe that unless this lake were 

 treated as sanctuary, Widgeon, the shyest of all wild-fowl, would not 



