NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF GLASGOW. 321 



obtained in Uist, and exhibited at a meeting of the Royal Phys. 

 Soc, by Mr. R. Gray, the Secretary. 



WILD DUCK. 



Anas boschas, Lin. 



Wild Duck, though plentiful during summer at most localities, 

 owing to overcrowding on our latitudes by the late spring of 1879, 

 were unusually scarce in several districts of central Scotland and 

 elsewhere in autumn, which no doubt proves further, that the 

 more northern latitudes were not so productive in the breeding 

 v season as usual [see First Report, p. 180]. I hardly remember 

 seeing them so scarce in Nov. along the Carron as in 1879, 

 whereas Teal were plentiful [v. Teal]. As early as 18th Sept. 

 Wild Duck appeared in salt water off the Berwickshire coast 

 [J. H., in lit.~\. When the frost became more intense, in December, 

 a few, but not so many as usual, appeared upon our streams. 

 These were, no doubt, birds driven off the moors. Five again 

 appeared on the 30th Sept. , in salt water, at Berwick ; and on 

 7th Oct., 13 or 14 at the same place. On 16th Oct. numerous 

 Wild Ducks appeared in separate bodies, at sea, and continued till 

 10th Nov., when there were great numbers [J. H., in lit.]. They 

 were much scarcer than usual at inland localities up to 11th Dec, 

 but were plentiful in the Firth of Forth. About the 11th a slight 

 accession to their numbers was observed on the Carron and Bonny, 

 in Stirlingshire, but Teal scarcer. Rather more open water, owing 

 to thaw of 9th, and to this cause Wild Duck continued more 

 plentiful. Large quantities of Mallard (with Widgeon) reported 

 also from North Berwick. Since then only a pair or two 

 frequented our marsh and river up to end of January. Thereafter 

 scarce, and so generally reported inland up to 12th Feb., when they 

 began to return for breeding. Wild Ducks of all kinds scarcer in 

 Islay this winter. 



TEAL. 



Nettium crecca (Lin. J. 



Teal at the beginning of winter have been abundant, a striking 

 contrast to last year at the same season,* when they were unusually 

 scarce. On the other hand, Wild Ducks up to 10th Dec. have 

 been unusually scarce, at least in our marshes [see Wild Duck]. 



"See Report, 1878-9, page 181. 



