252 ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



mate, but did not proceed so early to nest. Its presence in the 

 wood was not noted till the end of May or the beginning of June, 

 but on this occasion both birds fell to the keeper's gun, and were 

 brought to me on loth June. The birds had chosen the same tree 

 as that occupied by them in 1896. ROBERT GODFREY, Edinburgh. 



Honey Buzzards in Moray. A pair, male and female, of Honey 

 Buzzard (Pernis apivorus) was shot on the Findhorn on the 2nd 

 of September last. JAMES BROWN, Forres. 



Pintail in the Forth District. On the ist of May last a pair 

 of Pintail (JDafila acuta), male and female, was seen by Mr. Bruce 

 Campbell and myself on Loch Leven. The late date on which the 

 birds were seen is interesting, and is perhaps worthy of being placed 

 on record. T. G. LAIDLAW, Edinburgh. 



Tufted Duck, Scaup, and Golden-eye in Orkney in Summer. 



Although the Tufted Duck (fitltgula cristata) has already been 

 recorded as occurring in the Orkneys in summer ("Annals," 1896, 

 p. 21), yet it has been restricted to the larger lochs of Harray and 

 Skaill so far as I can judge, at least, from Mainland records avail- 

 able to me. On 26th May 1897, besides a party of Tufted Ducks 

 on the Loch of Skaill, I saw single pairs on the mill dam of Stenness 

 and on Glumly Loch, which are, however, close to those already 

 known to be tenanted. In anticipation of some future records, I 

 may say that I saw no Tufted Ducks on Tankerness in the east of 

 the Mainland on 3ist May. 



I met with the Golden-eye (Clangula glaucion) twice on 26th 

 May : a single bird on the Loch of Skaill, and a party of five on 

 Glumly Loch amongst which I could distinguish two adult drakes. 



What pleased me most, however, among the ducks observed in 

 Orkney was the presence of the Scaup (Fuligula mania) on the 

 Loch of Tankerness, 3ist May. I saw two pairs of this fine species, 

 and I watched them for a long time, wondering, as I did so, when 

 the first positive record after the many recent appearances of the 

 bird in summer of its nesting with us would be made. ROBERT 

 GODFREY, Edinburgh. 



Common Scoter breeding in the Inner Hebrides. A pair of 

 Common Scoters (CEdemia nigra) had a nest in Tiree this season. 

 I tried to find it, but failed. However, the young were hatched 

 out and were daily seen by me in the little creeks along the shore. 

 There were five young birds, and both old birds attended them a 

 very unusual thing in the duck tribe, I think. PETER ANDERSON, 

 Tiree. 



The Brent Goose in the " Clyde " Area. Scarcely anything has 

 been published regarding the occurrence of the Brent Goose 

 (Bernida brenta) in the faunal area which drains into the Clyde 

 and its firth. Gray in "The Birds of the West of Scotland" 



