Wigeon breeding, wild, in the North of Scotland. 509 



The Wigeon has been found breeding, wild, in the North of 

 Scotland. — The "Notes on the Habits of the Wigeon," by Mr. 

 Waterton [in p. 361 — 364.], induce me to send you a notice 

 of its breeding in the north of Scotland. During the ex- 

 cursion which was made in Sutherlandshire in the summer of 

 1834 [by our correspondent and some friends of his, see 

 p. 232.], the wigeon was found breeding. (See an account of 

 the birds seen during this excursion, in the Transactions of 

 the Natural History Society of Northumberland, Durham, and 

 Newcastle upon Tyne, by Mr. Selby ; in the latest number, 

 I believe.) A few pairs of the wigeon frequented many of 

 the lochs in that county. They were seen more particularly, 

 however, upon Loch Shin, Loch Naver, Loch Loyal, and 

 Loch Hope. They were by no means abundant ; and it is 

 probable that the birds in this district were at the most 

 southern limit of their breeding stations, and bore no pro- 

 portion whatever to the immense flocks which frequent our 

 coasts in winter. We succeeded in finding a nest of the bird 

 upon a small island in Loch Loyal : it was placed on the 

 ground, at a distance of from forty to fifty yards from the edge 

 of the water, among thick and long fern (Pteris aquilina), 

 which almost entirely covered the island. The nest was com- 

 posed of a little grass, and debris of the stalks of the fern, 

 mixed with the down of the birds. The eggs, six in number 

 (and the whole number which would be laid by this individual, 

 being advanced in hatching), were of the same colour as those 

 of the teal or wild duck, and intermediate between them in 

 size. One of the eggs is in the possession of Mr. Yarrell. — 

 TV. Jardine. Holmes St. Boswells, Roxburghshire, July 13. 1835. 



{Length of the Life of a Gander. — In the Morning Chronicle 

 of April 16. 1835, there is published a biography of, and an 

 epitaph on, one " Tom the Gander," that had lived 37 years, 

 9 months, and 6 days.] 



A wild Bird of the Family knatidce deemed a hybrid one. — 

 A fine specimen of a mule bird was shot, near Newcastle on 

 Tyne, in Feb. 1835 : it is evidently a hybrid between the 

 wild duck and pintail duck. In its plumage it resembles most, 

 the male of the former species, and female of the latter. It 

 was purchased and stuffed by Thomas Ellison, a very skilful 

 preserver of birds and animals ; and is now in the possession 

 of W. C. Trevelyan, at Wallington, Northumbe? , land [who has 

 communicated this notice of it]. 



The Night Heron (A'rdea Nycticorax L.). — H. T. Clarke has 

 noted, in VI. 94., his hearing one night at Clapton the note 

 of a bird which he has queried may be of this species. [He 

 has also noted, in VI. 93., and very pleasingly, his hearing 



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