PINTAIL NESTING. 51 



them rather plentiful on Lough Corrib, and on other 

 lakes near the sea. 



The Pintail occasionally nests in Ireland ; one or 

 two pairs breed every year at Abbeyleix, Queen's 

 County, in Lord Castletown's famous duck pre- 

 serves, but they are not common (Hon. B. Fitz- 

 patrick). I have seen female Pintails with young 

 broods in June, both on Lough Mask and Lough 

 Corrib, co. Galway. They are more common to 

 the coast lying between Valentia, co. Kerry, and 



THE PINTAIL. 



the north of Mayo, than to other parts of Ireland. 

 I have also seen Pintails in summer on Lough 

 Inagh, Connemara, but was unable to find the nest 

 or see the young. 



Pintails usually make their appearance about the 

 beginning of October or even earlier. They first 

 arrive in sixes and sevens, and increase in numbers 

 until the middle of November, when they are as 

 plentiful as they will be during the winter. These 

 little parties consist mostly of young birds. I have 



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