OCCURRENCES OF AMERICAN WIGEON IN SCOTLAND 13 



OCCURRENCES OF THE AMERICAN WIGEON 



IN SCOTLAND. 



The American Wigeon in Stir lings hii'e. 

 By J. Alastair Anderson. 



On the 14th December 1919, while watching a flock of 

 Wigeon on Bardowie Loch with a telescope, I saw a beautiful 

 adult male American Wigeon {Alareca americand). When 

 first noticed I could not see its head, but the dark flanks 

 and the brilliant white on the wing showed clearly in 

 comparison with the other Wigeon. As soon as it lifted its 

 head I at once recognised it by the dull white crown and 

 forehead and the small black spots on the lores and cheeks. 

 Later, Mr James Bartholomew and I had the good fortune 

 to see it at closer range, when the green patch extending 

 from behind the eye shone brilliantly as the bird turned its 

 head or preened its feathers. It appeared slightly larger 

 than the common Wigeon and equally wary, rising at the 

 slightest sign of danger. I may add that there is no 

 mistaking this handsome bird, especially when seen in 

 company with males of Alareca penelope. This is the first 

 record of this species in Clyde Area. 



American Wigeon in Fife. 

 By Leonora Jeffrey Rintoul and Evelyn V. Baxter. 



On 24th November 1919 we walked along the shore 

 from St Andrews to the mouth of the Eden, and in that 

 stretch of bay saw more Duck than we have ever before 

 seen in one day. The large majority of these were Mallard, 

 but there were also a great many Wigeon, and smaller 

 numbers of Common Scoter, Eider, and Goosander. A 

 flock of about thirty Wigeon flew down the Eden, lit in 

 the sea close to the edge of the tide and allowed us to get 

 quite near them : among these we were much excited to see 

 an American Wigeon {Alareca amei'icana), a rare wanderer 

 to our shores. As this bird was a drake in full plumage 



