THE WIGEON AS A SCOTTISH BREEDING SPECIES 39 



JVesf Sutherland. This district was late in being occupied, it 

 is not until 1901 that we have the first records of breeding and 

 these are from Loch Assynt and near Ault-na-callagach {Fauna of 

 N.-W. Highlands and Skye, p. 234), while in 1903 it bred at Loch 

 Urigil {Fauna of N.-W. Highlands and Skye, p. 234). These were 

 doubtless westward extensions from the well-populated central area 

 of the county. 



West Ross. In Booth's Rough Notes the Wigeon is recorded 

 as breeding on Loch Clare or Loch Coulin in 1868. Since this 

 no other instance has been recorded of the Wigeon being found 

 nesting to the west of the watershed in Ross-shire, and more 

 information from this part of the county is much to be desired. 



Argyll. 



Breeds locally, and is a common winter visitor. 



N. Argyll. About 1901 the Wigeon was first discovered 

 breeding in the Loch Awe district {A.S.N.H., 1911, p. 183), and 

 it has been found nesting there on several subsequent occasions. 

 This district being off the main routes of dispersal was, like the 

 last mentioned area, late in being colonised, the birds doubtless 

 coming from the Moor of Rannoch. 



Inner Hebrides. 



One breeding record, common winter visitor. 



The only breeding record comes from Coll in 1892, a nest 

 having been found there that year {A.S.N.H., 1899, p. 209). 

 Up-to-date information from this area is a desideratum. 



Tay. 



Breeds abundantly, and is a common winter visitor. 



N. Perthshire. In 1866 a nest and eggs was taken at Loch 

 Eigheach and presented to the Museum at Perth (.1 Vertebrate 

 Fauna of Tay and Strathmore, p. 238), while by 1874 the birds were 

 breeding commonly, if not abundantly, on the Moor of Rannoch 

 and along the Gower River and Loch Eigheach {A.S.JV.H, 1899, p. 

 200). By 1895 the Duck was abundant and breeding regularly on 

 lochs on the Black Mount and district {loc. cit.). This Moor of 

 Rannoch colony seems to have formed an important centre of 

 dispersal, the surrounding lochs being first populated and the species 

 spreading from there, by way of the Black Mount, to Loch Awe 

 as well as to other parts of Perthshire, so that in his Vertebrate 

 Fauna of Tay and Strathmore, p. 238, published in 1906, Dr Harvie- 

 Brown was able to say, "Indeed, in most suitable localities south- 



