904 The Zoologist— September, 1807. 



Gadwall. — Mr. Singer told me lately that he once killed three 

 gadwalls on the Firth of Forth, and that, not then knowing the bird, 

 lie had, sold them to Mr. Muirhead, the well-known poulterer in 

 Edinburgh. 



Wild Duck. — When watching for duck in the evening I have often 

 been puzzled by this bird. One evening I fired at the leading bird of 

 the first pair that«catne : it fell, and proved to be a male or mallard. 

 The next pair that came afforded me a right and left, and they proved 

 male and female : of the last pair that came that evening I killed the 

 following bird, and it proved also a male. On many other occasions 

 1 have attempted to discover to my own satisfaction whether or not 

 the drake always leads, and any such experiments as the above cause 

 me to believe that the duck leads as often as the drake. So well- 

 known a fact is it in Orkney, that the eider drake will not rise to fly 

 before the duck, that those following after them are at no pains to hide 

 themselves from the drake, if they be properly concealed from the 

 duck ; and I have seen cases of this in Orkney myself. Some authors 

 confidently affirm that the drake always leads, but I feel perfectly 

 certain that such is not the case. 



Garganey. — The Rev. F. O. Morris mentions, in his work, that three 

 specimens of this duck were shot in Stirlingshire during the last fort- 

 night of March, 1841. Mr. Singer, of Kincardine, has only killed one 

 specimen on the Firth of Forth since 1851. 



Teal. — Common. Breeds commonly on the islands of Loch 

 Lomond, and in several other localities throughout the county. 



Widgeon. — Common, especially on the east coast. 



Velvet Scoter. — Common in the Firth of Forth, and frequently comes 

 as far up as Kincardine, where Mr. Singer has shot both them and the 

 species. 



Scoter. — As the last. Most plentiful near Bruntisland, further down 

 the Firth. 



Pochard. — One of the most abundant species on the Firth of Forth, 

 where, near Kincardine, I once saw a flock which must have numbered 

 at least 1500 individuals. The flocks are, I believe, principally 

 composed of males, though the females are also quite abundant. 



Scuiip Duck. — Also very common in the Firth. Along with the 

 pochard, tufted duck and goldeneye, they also frequent Loch 

 Lomond. 



Tufted Duck. — Plentiful in the Firth: more males than females. 



Longtailed Duck. — Frequent in the Firth. 



