PINTAIL DUCK. 257 



The Pintail has been killed occasionally in different 

 parts of Ireland in winter. It is rare in Wales, Cornwall, 

 and Devon ; more common on the coast of Dorsetshire and 

 Hampshire, particularly from Poole Harbour to Lyming- 

 ton, where it is called the Sea Pheasant, on account of 

 the length of its tail, and where it is seen in small flocks 

 during winter. It occurs also occasionally in the marine 

 and fenny districts, of the eastern counties. The figure of 

 the male on the fore-ground in the illustration of the 

 species here given, was taken from a fine specimen, killed 

 in Cambridgeshire, now in the collection of Dr. Thackeray, 

 the Provost of King's College. 



The Pintail is rather rare in the extreme north of 

 England, and in Scotland. Mr. Kobert Dunn, in his 

 useful little book, says, I never met with this bird in 

 Shetland, but it is tolerably plentiful in Orkney, particu- 

 larly in the island of Sanda. It frequents the inland 

 lakes more than the sea-shore, and leaves these islands 

 early in the spring. Richard Dann, Esq. tells me that the 

 Pintail Duck is common in Lapland, and at the head of 

 the Bothnian Gulf during the summer months. It breeds 

 late ; " I saw on the 1st of July, 1838, a large flock, both 

 males and females, in a lake near Lulea, which had evi- 

 dently not yet dispersed for breeding. In the Dofre Fiell 

 mountains they are tolerably numerous in May, but pass 

 on to the north. They do not appear, however, in the 

 autumn on their return from thence, and from their ap- 

 pearing on the western coast in autumn but rarely, I am 

 induced to think their migration is southerly in autumn, 

 and as winter advances westerly. They are by no means 

 shy or difficult of access. The young are five or six in 

 number." 



This species is said to be common in Russia, Germany, 

 VOL. HI. s 



