516 



4 



Lord Lilford writes, " a fine male bird was killed in this county (Northants), near Thrapstone, in 

 the summer of 1869 ; and I have heard of others having been seen." Mr. E. Alston writes as 

 follows : — " This Duck is rare in Scotland. It has occurred in Stirlingshire, East Lothian, and 

 Wigtownshire." Thompson records it as of very rare occurrence in Ireland, and he only knew of 

 one really authentic instance. Since that date we believe that it has been met with in that 

 island, but is still very rare. Lord Lilford tells us that he has reason -to believe that it breeds 

 there, but as yet he has no proof positive of the fact. It is included by Professor Newton 

 among the birds of Iceland, with the accompanying qualifying statement: — "The positive 

 assertion of Herr Preyer, that on the 16th of June 1860 he shot this species at Myvatn, induces 

 me to admit it here, but not without hesitation. The evidence afforded by the eggs brought to 

 him a few days previously I look upon as singularly inconclusive." 



Kjeerbolling states that it is plentiful in Denmark, breeding more commonly in Jutland than 

 on the islands ; and Mr. A. Benzon has sent us some notes on the species in that country, which 

 we print below. Mr. E. Collett only records one specimen as having been procured near Chris- 

 tiania, in May 1862, another having been observed on the same occasion. According to Xilsson 

 the Garganey occurs in the south of Sweden, sometimes, though rarely, in the east, and extends 

 its range far up north. In Skane it is not rare, in Sodermanland, however, very rare ; and it has 

 been seen near Tornea. At Gothenburg it is common, and breeds there, as also at Calmar, and 

 here and there in Ostergothland. Mr. Meves writes to us, "we found it nesting rather 

 numerously at Hjelstaviken, in Skane and on Oland." In Finland Dresser found it by no means 

 rare, and when travelling northward in the spring, just at the time of migration, saw them 

 almost daily in the small streams, lakes, or ponds near the road. At Uleaborg they are also 

 found, and probably breed near there ; and Dresser shot one on the Kemi river, between Uleaborg 

 and Tornea. This Duck does not, however, extend its range as far north as the Common Teal. 

 In Livonia and Esthonia Meyer records it as common. 



In Germany it is a summer visitant ; and Naumann's notes will be found below. The same 

 remarks apply to the low countries. De Selys Longchamps says that it passes through Belgium 

 in spring and autumn. With regard to its occurrence in Luxembourg, De la Fontaine remarks 

 as follows : — " Passes on its migrations, and is then numerous. A very few remain to breed 

 here." Godron says that in Lorraine it is common enough on the rivers in spring. Krcener 

 observes that it is, in Alsace and the Vosges, a sedentary from March to October ; inhabits the 

 lakes, rivers, and marshes ; constructs its nest in marshy districts, where it lays ten or twelve eggs 

 of a yellowish white. Degland and Gerbe remark that it breeds in several parts of France, but 

 seldom in the south as stated by Jaubert and Barthelemy-Lapommeraye. According to Bailly 

 it is rarer in Savoy than the Common Teal, and arrives there in March or early in April, some- 

 times in pairs and sometimes in small flocks, remaining a short time before proceeding northward. 

 A few, however, remain there to breed. 



Mr. Howard Saunders writes to us : — " The Garganey occurs in winter, but does not, so far 

 as I am aware, remain to breed, in Southern Spain, nor did I find it in spring in the marshes at 

 the mouth of the Ebro. Dr. Companyo says that some remain to breed in the marshes near 

 Perpignan." In Andalucia Major Irby says that it is scarce, and he never saw it but in the month 

 of March. Lord Lilford writes : — " I never met with it myself in Spain ; but it is common on the 



