BIRD NOTES FROM NORTH RONALDSHAV 73 



Canada Goose (Bernicla canadensis). — On the 9th June 1892 I 

 saw this goose on the Mill Loch. Coming round the corner of a 

 wall, I found myself within twenty yards of the bird. It rose 

 heavily and flew across the loch, where it dropped again on the 

 water. By next morning it had disappeared. 



Hooper {Cygnus musicus). — Thirty seen crossing the island, flying 

 due west, on 15th October 1892. Of this flock only five were 

 in pure white mature plumage. They flew low, almost within 

 gunshot. 



Sheldrake (Tadorna cornuta). — Fairly common during the breeding 

 season : perhaps a dozen pairs breed on the rabbit links. Seldom 

 seen after August. I only once saw them after the breeding 

 season, that was on the 26th September 1888, when I shot two 

 cut of a flock of six close to the Lighthouse. 



Wild Duck {Anas boscas). — Always a few about, without being 

 plentiful. A goodly number sit about the Seal Skerry all day, 

 coming on land after dusk to feed. Many pairs breed here, 

 both in the reed beds in the lochs and in grass fields ; but their 

 eggs are most systematically taken by the natives for eating 

 purposes, or to sell as those of the Domestic Duck. 



Shoveller {Spatula clypeata). — On coming here in June 1892, I 

 found two pairs of these birds breeding in the Mill Loch. Their 

 eggs of course shared the same fate as those of the Wild Ducks, 

 but one pair eventually brought off a brood of, I think, nine 

 youngsters. They seem to remain here the year round, as I 

 have seen them all through the autumn and winter months. 

 On 3rd January I shot a drake which had nearly completed 

 the moult back into his nuptial dress. These birds can only 

 have bred here within the last two or three years, as on my 

 former visits I never saw or shot them. On my drawing the 

 attention of some of the natives to the peculiar Ducks, the 

 more intelligent of them seemed to agree that the birds were 

 first noticed in 1891. 



Teal {Querquedula crecca). — Fairly common in the month of 

 September and later. At times very plentiful. This season 

 (1S92), about the beginning of October, I shot four, from a 

 flock of sixty or so, on one of the small lochs. The same day I 

 saw a flock of about a score on another loch. On a recent 

 visit to the Skerry, on 9th January 1893, I must have seen a 

 hundred and fifty Teal, besides Duck and Widgeon. 



Widgeon (Mareca penelope). — Occurring regularly, but in small 



numbers. The largest flock I have ever seen would number 

 not more than fifteen. One, a drake, remained here the 

 greater part of June [892. 



