32 Capt. Elwes on the Bird-Stations 



about it^ more particularly as he does not say that he obtained 

 specimens of the bird. 



I think that there can be little doubt that the only Goose 

 which breeds in any part of Scotland is the Greylag {Anser 

 erus), which is found in many parts of Sutherland, Rosshire, 

 and even so far south as Jura, though in winter it is not so 

 common as the Bean and White-fronted Goose. I saw a con- 

 siderable number of wild Geese during the past summer in dif- 

 ferent parts of the " Long Island/^ and have not the least doubt 

 that they were all Anser f erus, as the light bluish-grey shoulders 

 form such a conspicuous mark that I do not think any one 

 who knew it could mistake an adult bird. 



The best evidence, however, in favour of this is that of a 

 gentleman, Mr. J. Macdonald of Scolpig, who has resided all 

 his life in these islands, where it is a common custom to rear 

 Geese from eggs laid by wild birds. He assures me that none 

 of these eggs have ever produced any but pure Greylags, with 

 the nail of the bill white. 



The greater number of the Geese I saw were not breeding, 

 and remained in pairs or flocks all May, when I saw as many 

 as thirty together. These could not have been all Ganders, as 

 the male Goose remains near his mate when sitting, and helps 

 her to bring up the young ones, which are all hatched by the 

 end of May. When the young brood is pursued by a boat, the 

 mother sinks her body very low in the water, and swims away 

 with the Goslings, whilst the Gander flies round with loud 

 cacklings. 



The Goosander [Mergus castor) is another bird which was 

 stated by John Macgillivray to breed in the Long Island ; but 

 I have no doubt whatever that he was mistaken in this case 

 also, and was probably led into the error by the different stages 

 of plumage of the Merganser {Mergus serrator), which is very 

 common all over the West Highlands. I took the greatest 

 pains to discover the Goosander, and explored in a canoe, which 

 I took on purpose, every loch and arm of the sea where it was 

 likely to be found, examining with a telescope every bird about 

 which I had any doubt ; and as I remained two months in the 

 " Long Island," I hardly think the species could have escaped 

 my observation if it had been there. 



