ON THE AVIFAUNA OF THE OUTER HEBRIDES 213 



A somewhat curious statement, however, is made by my corre- 

 spondent in South Uist, that " it is less common now than formerly"; 

 and his experience dates back some eighteen years (to date of 1902). 

 This negative account deserves notice in this place, and it appears 

 to be supported by the experiences of Mr. C. V. A. Peel, who 

 mentions it as " seen occasionally in Benbecula," whilst Sir Arthur 

 Campbell Orde tells me he shot nine on February 15, 1897, in 

 North Uist, mentioning it as uncommon. Previous to this Mr. 

 M'Elfrish had killed one bird, the first record of its occurrence there. 



GOLDEN-EYE DUCK (Clangula glaucion], p. 106. This is another 

 species of duck which a correspondent describes as less abundant 

 than formerly, i.e. in his experience of some eighteen years of one 

 locality. 



I have one record only of its occurrence in Barra, viz. on 

 October n, 1897, Dr. M'Rury being the recorder. 



But Mr. Radclyffe Waters tells me that "a few are generally 

 seen in the late autumn. One was killed on October 22, 1892; 

 two on October 6, 1893 ; these had evidently just arrived, and we 

 had to fire at them to drive them off a loch on which they were just 

 out of shot. One drake, in very good plumage, was killed on 

 October 21, 1893." 



On the other hand, Mr. M'Elfrish considers this bird to be a 

 regular winter visitor, frequenting both the fresh and the salt water, 

 and common ; and Mr. Abel Chapman found a " bunch " of seven 

 on Loch Scatavagh on October 15, and other single birds on other 

 lochs in 1900. 



EIDER DUCK (Somateria mollissi//ia), p. 107. Mr. C. V. A. Peel, 

 in his account of Sport in the Outer Hebrides, considers the Eider to 

 be less abundant in The Lews than they are in the islands south of 

 the Sound of Harris (p. 7). I think this has always been the case, 

 and in Harris also, unless possibly on outlying islands such as Rona, 

 and the Flannan Isles, and otherwise south-west of Harris. 



It is interesting in this connection to know that a very great 

 increase of the species has taken place since Buckley and I wrote 

 upon the Fauna of these isles, and also since we published the 

 " Fauna of Sutherland, Caithness, and West Cromarty " (1887), along 

 the mainland coast of Scotland to the north of Skye. I was some- 

 what surprised (in 1901) to find the Eider Ducks abundant at 

 many places on the West Ross and West Sutherland coast, where, 

 never in our previous experiences, were they found nesting at all. 

 "The Eider Duck at present, 1902, does not nest on the Minch or 

 east side of The Lews, but does so on the west side, from Loch 

 Roag southwards. The rocks north of Loch Roag are probably too 

 high above sea-level for it to land, and where the land is low it is 

 inhabited by crofters." The above passage within quotation marks 

 is by Mr. D. Mackenzie, and I cordially agree with all he relates. 



