THE PINTAIL. 89 



Pollock, Esq., and they can still be had at any time during that 

 season, but more particularly in (and after) the month of January, 

 from decoys, which supply Dublin market. Three or four couple 

 are taken during the winter in the decoy at Caledon. On Lough 

 Derg, on the river Shannon, near Portimma, about five or six 

 are generally killed every season. Daniel, in his ^Eural Sports,' 

 tells us that^ in the month of February only, these birds are 

 found in great abundance in Connaught ;^ but in that finely 

 watered province they are, instead, met with frequently through- 

 out the entire season. 



The author of ' The Wild Sports of the West' remarks, " When 

 winter is coming on, the pintail was noticed in the estuary .'' To 

 the bays of Kerry this bird is a regular winter visitant, and has 

 been noticed in the market of Tralee at the end of October and 

 first two weeks of November (1848) .f In the harbours, &c., of 

 the southern line of coast comprising those of the counties Cork, 

 Waterford and Wexford — in which last it is called harlan — as well 

 as those on the other thi'ee sides of the island, the pintail annually 

 appears, and it seems to be in about equal numbers from north to 

 south; sparing as these are, they have not diminished of late 

 years like those of various other species. 



In Dublin, this bird bears the name of lady-duch ; owing, 

 we may presume, to its graceful and elegant appearance ; it was 

 particularly numerous in the market there in the great Anatidce 

 winter of 1837-38. On the coast at Malahide, they occurred in 

 large flocks, in the winter of 1849-50. J 



A couple of male bii'ds (young of the year), shghtly wounded 

 in the wing, were purchased for the pond at the Palls, where 

 they frequently came under my notice. 



One of them lived for thirteen years, when it was kdled by a 

 mischievous boy; the other had been previously given away. 

 They were very mild in disposition, and became at once quite 

 tame. A female bird was introduced soon after the males, and 

 one of them associated with her. They seemed duly paired, 



* Vol. iii. p. 273. f Mr. R. Chute. + ^i'- R- •'■ Moutgomcry. 



