Mr Buchanayi on the Distribution of the Goosander. 189 



algse, Lady's Tower, Elie 

 (M'Bain) ; on Desmarestia 

 aculeata, at Longniddry, 1879 

 {G. W. T). 



Order Squamari^. 



Criwria pellita, .... On stems of Laminaria digitata 



and on stones, Earlsferry {G. 

 W. T.) ; first time recorded. 



III. On the Distribution of the Goosander (Mergus merganser) 

 in Scotland during the Breeding Season. By J. Hamilton 

 Buchanan, Esq. 



(Read 17th December 1879.) 



The goosander {Mergus merganser) is a well-known bird 

 in Northern Europe, and is met with in many counties in 

 England as a regular winter visitant. 



In Scotland, it is, perhaps, more widely and abundantly 

 distributed ; and of late years it has been known to remain 

 and breed in some of the more remote parts of the country. 

 So far as one can judge, it appears to be extending its 

 breeding range southwards. Mr John Macgillivray found it 

 breeding, in 1840, near Loch Maddy, from whence Dr Dewar 

 obtained a nest of eggs in 1858. Mr Gray, in his " Birds of 

 the West of Scotland," seems to have no doubt of the fact 

 of the breeding of the goosander in JSTorth Uist; but Mr 

 Harvie-Brown, who has visited the locality, does not consider 

 it properly authenticated, nor the ground the least likely to 

 harbour the birds in the breeding season. In the " Birds of 

 the West of Scotland," page 403, Mr Gray, in referring to 

 Dr Dewar's nest, writes as follows : " One of the eggs taken 

 at that time is in my possession; it is larger than a mer- 

 ganser's egg, cream coloured, slightly darker in shade, and 

 easily recognised when placed in a group of eggs belonging 

 to the common species." Mr Harvie-Brown, on the other 

 hand, who has seen the eggs taken by Dr Dewar, is of the 

 opinion that they are those of the red-breasted merganser. 



