THE PINTAIL. 87 



A young male gadwall was shot in Beaulieu pond, near Drogheda, 

 on the 5th of March, 1849, by R. J. Montgomery, Esq., a week 

 before which time there was a gale from the east, and, immediately 

 afterwards, another gale from that quarter, accompanied by snow. 

 This bird is said to have emitted a very strong and peculiar odour, 

 which was communicated to the hands of the person touching it, 

 and was equally strong from the time that it was picked up until 

 sent to be preserved two days afterwards. The same gentleman sent 

 a female or young male from Drogheda to DubHu to be preserved, 

 on the 21st of January, 1850.* A young male was shot about 

 the 3rd of this month in a bog near Blarney, county of Cork.t 



A male gadwall, partially exhibiting adult plumage, was shot 

 by Mr. Francis Eankin in a snipe bog, nearly a quarter of a 

 mile from the sea, in the Ards, near Kirkcubbin, county Down, 

 about Christmas 1847. Only the one appeared; it was liberally 

 presented by that gentleman to the Belfast Museum. 



The gadwall is considered a rare bird in England, and is not 

 positively known to Sir William Jardine or Mr. Macgillivray to 

 have occurred in Scotland, but, at Sanday, one of the Orkney 

 Islands, { it was lately stated that a gadwall occasionally appears. 

 The British Islands, generally, lie too far west to be much visited 

 by the species. 



THE PINTAIL. 



Anas acuta, Linn. 



Is a regular winter visitant, in small numbers, to our 

 coast and inland waters. 



Belfast Bay. — Some two or three of these birds are almost sure 

 to be obtained here every month of September. § The earliest 



* I have since Icaraed that this bird was Icillcil at tlie iiihmd locality of Elphin, 

 county lloscomraon. 



t Dr. J. R.Hai-vey. % Hist. Nat. Oread, p. 75. 



§ From Lough Foyle, county of Londonderry, I have likewise seen them in 

 September, and occasionally during the winter. 



