372 BIRDS OF THE WEST OF SCOTLAND. 



History of Orkney, in which it is stated that it " is frequently seen 

 in the lochs of that group of islands in mild weather:" it is next 

 mentioned in Mr G. Don's Fauna of Forfarshire as having been 

 seen by that excellent naturalist in the lake of Forfar about the 

 beginning of the present century. More recently a specimen was 

 obtained in Banffshire by the Rev. James Smith, who recorded 

 the circumstance in 1836. We next hear of it in Yarrell's 

 ' British Birds/ six specimens, according to that author, having 

 been shot in Stirlingshire in 1841. Macgillivray states that four 

 specimens, said to have been shot near Stirling in the same month 

 and year, were exposed for sale in the Edinburgh Market; and 

 also mentions that it had been seen in small numbers in Montrose 

 Basin. A specimen of the G-arganey, shot near Stirling in May, 1857, 

 was exhibited by Dr Hugh Colquhoun at a meeting of the Natural 

 History Society of Glasgow, held on the 26th of that month; and 

 Mr Harvie Brown informs me that one was shot also on the Forth 

 by Mr Singer of Kincardine. Mr William Hamilton has 

 obligingly informed me that a pair of these birds were seen in 

 spring on a small moorland loch by his brother, in the district of 

 Upper Loch Fyne the only instance I have it in my power to 

 give of its occurrence west of Stirling, with the exception of a 

 specimen which was shot in the Bay of Luce, Wigtown shire, in 1867. 

 For this additional instance I am indebted to the Rev. George 

 Wilson of Glenluce, to whom the bird was sent for identification. 

 Messrs Baikie and Heddle state that it is a rare spring visitant 

 in Orkney. In Shetland it has been obtained by Mr Joseph 

 Dunn, and likewise by Dr Saxby, who remarks that he has shot 

 it in September, but that the species is very uncommon there. 



From the dates given in connection with the foregoing instances, 

 it will be seen that the Garganey is entirely absent from Scotland 

 during the breeding months. 



THE TEAL. 



ANAS CRECCA. 

 Crann-lacha. 



IN the outer islands the Teal is somewhat rare compared with 

 other species : it is found occasionally in Lewis, and is also met 

 with sparingly on various lakes in North Uist, and on one or two 



