APPENDIX. 355 



Brent Goose Bernida brenta (Pall.) 



A winter visitant to the east coast, but not arriving until very late in 

 the season. 



Bernacle Goose Bernida leucopsis (Bechst.) 

 Occurs at Scourie as a winter visitant. 



Mute Swan Cygnus olor (Gmel.) 



A pair or two (tame) breed on Loch Brora, and there are also four or 

 five about the Mound and Little Ferry. 



Whooper Cygnus musicus, Bechst. 



An occasional winter visitant, a few being seen nearly every winter. 

 Rarely seen in the west, more frequently in the north. 



Bewick's Swan Cygnus beivickii, Yarrell. 



Winter visitant ; one shot at Altnaharra in the winter of 1879 ; probably 

 of more frequent occurrence than is supposed, not being distinguished 

 from C. musicus. 



Obs. American Swan Cygnus Americanus, Sharpless. 

 Three, entered on the authority of Mr. Harvie-Brown, as shot at Tain, 

 and which came to the Edinburgh market in 1880, it is to be feared 

 are not satisfactorily identified. Mr. Harvie-Brown at that time based 

 his opinion upon the anatomical peculiarities of the sternum and 

 trachea, but it seems doubtful now if these are not merely distinctive 

 of stages of age in the same species, and until we obtain a larger series 

 for comparison, the faunal value of these birds must remain in this 

 position for the present. 



Shelldrake Tadorna cornuta (S. S. Gmel.) 



Most frequent during the breeding-season, nesting in the rabbit holes 

 in the sandhills of the north and east coast ; a few remain during winter 

 at the Little Ferry. Very common on Rabbit Island or Eilean-nan- 

 Ghael, Kyle of Tongue. Rare, or quite absent in the west, so far as 

 we can learn, although several suitable places occur, such as the 

 sandy slope of Handa, and the neighbourhood of Loch Sandwood. 



Wild- Duck Anas boschas, Linn. 



Common and resident, the only one of the true ducks that is commonly 

 to be met with inland during the winter. Common in the west, and 

 general, often breeding far up the hillsides and away from water. Also 

 at Tongue. 



Shoveller Spatula dypeata (Linn.) 



As regards this duck Sheriff Mackenzie informs us" Nor have we seen 

 the Shoveller Duck in the Dornoch Firth, though we have both (re- 

 ferring to Mr. Jennins, who punts in that locality) shot young birds 

 in the neighbourhood in the month of August. It was one of these 

 latter that I got Macleay to preserve for me. This year I am to have 

 a try for the eggs, for I know the loch where they breed." (In lit., 

 March 24, 1884.) 



Teal Querquedula crecca (Linn. ) 



Common, and resident ; like the "Wigeon, retires to the coast and estuaries 

 almost entirely in the winter. 



Tolerably abundant in the west, returning year after year to the 

 same place to breed". 



