THE BIRDS OF IONA AND MULL. 247 



famed for the quantities of widgeon frequenting them, in spite of the 

 constantly increasing number of guns which are brought to bear upon 

 them. The birds are shy where they expect to be molested, but the 

 same birds in another place, where they consider themselves safe from 

 molestation, are quite free of shyness. I have often proved this by 

 putting up a flock in Loch Gilp, which would rise wildly at the punt's 

 approach 200 yards off, then following them to the retired inlets at 

 the junction of Lochs Fyne and Gilp, would find them sitting till 

 within forty or fifty yards of them. In certain bays they cannot be 

 approached, while in others they let themselves be easily stalked. 

 The wounded birds are troublesome to capture. I have seen them 

 holding on to the weed at the bottom in shallow water, and have had 

 to dislodge them with the boat-hook, or reach them with my arm if not 

 too deep. In March, when they break up into pairs, but have not 

 yet finally quitted our shores, I have sometimes, while coasting, come 

 upon a pair in full breeding plumage enjoying their honeymoon in 

 fact in some out-of-the-way little creek. The duck, trusting to the 

 unobtrusive nature of her plumage, will remain floating among the 

 long fronds of brown seaweed ; but the drake, who shines like a bright 

 star, gets fidgety, and flies about, calling in vain to his capricious 

 mate, who will not take the hint to follow, and at last forces him to 

 pitch on the water a little way off. The duck at last rises when the 

 boat is within thirty yards, flies a short distance and alights again, 

 where she is immediately joined by her faithful spouse. The same per- 

 formance may be gone through again and again, till very often, if you 

 are in want of a full-plumaged male, he falls a victim to the caprice of 

 his partner and his own gallantry. 



THE TEAL. 



Gaelic, Crann lach tree duck. 



Is commonly distributed, though not very abundant, through the 

 isles. One or two pairs may often be found breeding in the neigh- 

 bourhood of the moorland lochans, and in winter they are found there 

 in small flights, or driven down to the seashore in hard weather among 

 the mallards and widgeon, where it is usually very tame and easy of 

 approach, rather skulking, and trusting to its diminutive size to escape 

 observation ; but if it does rise, it does so so noiselessly, so suddenly, and 

 clips away so sharply, that it is difficult to suppose it to be a duck at all. 



