ANATID.'F.. 



417 



THE PINTAIL DUCK. 



Dafila acuta (LinricTus). 



This slender and elegant Duck — locally known from the length of 

 its tail as the ' Sea Pheasant ' — is a regular visitor to the British 

 Islands, from October onwards. In the northern districts it seldom 

 lingers long, its numbers on the east coast are subject to con- 

 siderable variation, and on the west it is rather uncommon ; its 

 principal resorts being our southern shores and estuaries, though its 

 appearance on inland waters is also not unusual. It can hardly 

 be called abundant on the east side of Scotland, and is decidedly 

 rare on the west and in the Hebrides; yet Mr. Harvie-Browii obtained 

 eggs with the down from the low basaltic island of Hysgeir, off Canna ; 

 and on July 17th 1886, when an exceptional opportunity was afforded 

 us for landing on that surf-lashed reef from the yacht of Mr. Henry 

 Evans, we found, swimming in a pool and at no time more than thirty 

 yards distant, three young birds which were unmistakably Pintails. 

 To the southern part of Ireland this species is a regular winter-visitor, 

 and Sir R. Payne-Gallwey considers that a few pairs remain to breed 

 at Abbeyleix in Queen's County, as well as on some loughs in 

 Galway ; but in the north it is comparatively scarce. In spring its 

 numbers are increased by migrants from the south. 



The Pintail has nested in the Faroes, and during the summer 

 months is generally distributed in Iceland, sometimes wandering 



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