The Birds of the Midland Lakes and Bogs. 269 



such a situation, not in rushes, numbers breed on Killeenmore 

 bog and other great bogs. As a winter visitant it must far 

 exceed in numbers any other species of duck, if one may 

 judge by the comparative numbers taken in the Kelly ville 

 decoy, the great majority of which are Teal. Mr. Webber 

 says: — " There are a lot of Teal, several hundred, that remain 

 on the lake until May, and come in again, young and old, in 

 August and September. The foreign ones come in thousands 

 about ist to 20th November, and leave about 15th March. 

 These are distinguishable by being lighter in body, and having 

 a yellow tinge on the breast when they first come." 



The WiGKON has only been seen by me once in the breeding 

 season. On 3rd June, 1893, I visited I^ough Allen, in Co. 

 Leitrim, a lake where there is very little fishing or boating 

 owing to the dangerous mountain squalls. From a stony 

 island, inhabited by a colony of Black-headed Gulls, a fine 

 male Wigeon got up, and another bird, which appeared to be 

 the female, flapped about and disappeared. I searched in 

 vain for a nest among the large stones composing the island, 

 and returned several hours later, but did not see the Wigeon 

 again. Wigeon have been reported to me as breeding in a few 

 instances, but not with sufficient proof to put a mistake out of 

 the question. As a winter visitor the Wigeon is common on 

 the midland lakes, e. g., I^ough Arrow (Col. ffolliott), West- 

 meath lakes (Mr. lyevinge), King's Co. (Mr. Digby), Queen's Co. 

 (IvOrd Castletown, Mr, Young, and others). At Kellyville, in 

 1 88 1, one hundred and thirty were taken, then none for six 

 years. In 1888-9, thirty were taken, in 1889-90, one hundred 

 and thirty-nine, in 1 890-1, two hundred and ten. Since then 

 but few have been taken. 



The Pochard is another duck of whose breeding in Ireland 

 I desire further proof, though I have more reason to think 

 that it does breed than the Pintail and Wigeon. 



On the 6th July, 1893, a male Pochard, in transition plumage, 

 was shot on Curry grane I^ake, Co. Longford, and is in the Dublin 

 museum. Young Pochards are stated to be met with occasion- 

 ally on the Roscommon shore of Lough Ree. Maxwell, 

 the keeper at Knockdrin, Westmeath, stated that in 1891 a 

 pair of Pochards had a brood of seven young, on Brittas lake, 

 in the demesne. He did not know their name, but described 

 the male as having a red head and grey back. I am informed 



