38 



commences nesting, some of the dates given being 

 a month or two in advance of others. 



There can, however, be little doubt that in 

 some localities the birds pair and the eggs are laid 

 considerably earlier than in others. 



Local naturalists frequently fancy that the 

 habits of the birds all over the British Islands 

 must be the same as they have observed in their 

 own particular district. 



The Wild Duck and Wigeon are perhaps the 

 best flavoured, and consequently the most sought 

 after, of all our wildfowl, the only others that can 

 compete with them being the Pintail, Teal and 

 Pochard. Even if they frequent the sea during the 

 day, they seldom acquire the fishy taste that is so 

 common in some fowl. 



Towards night they are sure to make their way 

 inland to the marshes and rivers for food. I often 

 noticed, when in the south of Scotland, that these 

 birds resorted to the potato fields in large flocks, 

 remaining all night scattered over the ground, 

 searching for the exposed roots, and leaving just 

 before daybreak for the open sea. 



The male bird, though represented in the case 

 as sunning himself on the bank in the society of 

 his wife and family, is in reality but little given to a 

 domestic life, usually leaving the brood to the care 

 of the female, and seeking his ow r n pleasures in 

 company with two or three faithless husbands like 

 himself. 



The female and young were obtained in 

 Glenlyon in Perthshire in June, 1867, the male 

 being killed earlier in the season. 



WIGEON. 

 Case 52. 



Though it has been stated that this bird but 

 rarely remains to breed in the British Islands, con- 



