2SO THE SCOTTISH NATURALIST 



but it is not so nowadays. On ist January 1895, Major Lea-Birch 

 "hit, but failed to bag, a Bernacle Goose, the only Goose of any 

 kind I met with on the Langbank foreshore during six seasons " ; 

 but Mr M'Arthur tells us that this species is a regular winter visitor 

 to Castle-Semple Loch. Mr Gilmour, in October 1882, shot some 

 out of twenty-five which he saw on Einend Loch, and in October 

 1887, he counted thirty flying south-east over his Eaglesham Estate. 

 Mr Peter Goodfellow noted two on Balgray Reservoir in October 

 1910. Of the Brent Goose we have but one record, a bird of 

 the light-breasted race observed by Robertson at Balgray on ist 

 January 191 1. 



Of the Swans, several examples of the Whooper were shot early 

 in 187 1 on Castle-Semple Loch (Gray), where, Mr M'Arthur assures 

 us, this species is still an irregular visitor, while the smaller Bewick's 

 Swan comes every winter. Mr Thomas Malloch saw four of the 

 latter species there in March 1912, Mackeith thirteen flying south 

 over Caldwell on 31st December 1906, and at Giffnock, next day, 

 Robertson saw a single bird pass. The *Mute Swan is found on 

 certain lochs and ponds all the year round, and a few immigrants 

 may be noticed in winter. 



Among surface-feeding Ducks, the ^Common Sheld-duck is 

 abundant on the Clyde, between Erskine and Langbank, and less 

 numerous from the Cloch Light to Wemyss Bay. Scarce or absent 

 in winter, it begins to leturn early in the year, nesting from the 

 banks of the Clyde back several miles inland. Li 1906 there was a 

 nest in a rabbit-burrow on Kilmacolm Golf Course. Further inland 

 it has occurred singly or in small flocks, mostly in autumn, at Nether 

 Pollok, Balgray (frequently), and Eaglesham. The *Mallard is 

 common. The Gadwall is rare. One formerly in the Castle- 

 Semple collection was shot on the loch there, while another was 

 seen in the "eighties" (Mr M'Arthur). Major Lea-Birch shot a 

 male on the Clyde above Langbank in January 1897, one was 

 obtained on Eaglesham Estate in December 1904, and Mackeith 

 saw three on Loch Libo on i8th October iqoS. 



{To be continued.) 



