695 



delicately tinged breasts glistening in the bright sun, and in strong relief against a wild black 

 rain-squall that had just passed. One or two more were brought into the bird-stuffer's whilst I 

 was there ; and he said he got a few every year. I did not, however, see any in the market ; and 

 as far as I could judge from the questions asked me by some fishermen and others who saw me 

 carrying the bird I had shot home, it did not appear to be a very well known bird." 



In Scotland it is, as above stated, found during the breeding-season ; and Mr. Robert Gray 

 writes (B. of W. of Scotl. p. 400) as follows : — " Although in the breeding-season this beautiful 

 bird is shy and unobtrusive, it is well known as a native of nearly all the lakes of any importance 

 north of Loch Lomond. It is likewise numerously distributed through Long Island, where it 

 appears to be permanently resident, breeding on South Uist, North Uist, Benbecula, the islands 

 in the Sound of Harris, and Lewis. Within the circle of the inner islands it is found breeding 

 on rocky islets of Skye, Islay, Jura, Colonsay, and Tyree. I have seen large companies about the 

 close of autumn swimming in the saltwater creeks which intersect the eastern side of North Uist, 

 especially in the neighbourhood of Lochmaddy." In Shetland, Dr. Saxby says, it is abundant on 

 all parts of the coast during winter, but it is not so often observed during the breeding-season. 



In Ireland it is common during the winter, and also breeds there, but not commonly. 

 Thompson (B. of Leland, iii. p. 162) says that it breeds on some of the islands in Strangford 

 Lough in the south of Ireland, and on Lough Neagh near Toome. Lt occurs in Greenland, and 

 in Iceland is common and breeds numerously in most parts of the country where there are 

 suitable localities, often, according to Faber, using holes in the earth for that purpose; and 

 Captain Feilden speaks of it as found on the Faeroes during the breeding-season. In Scandi- 

 navia it is a common species ; and Mr. Robert Collett informs me that in Norway " it is general 

 throughout the country, and breeds at all altitudes from the extreme south up to the North 

 Cape, and is one of the few Ducks which breeds on the fresh water as well as on the sea-coast, 

 along which latter it is resident, and winters commonly on the fresh-water lakes which are not 

 frozen, and in the fiords up to the Varanger." Nilsson says that it is one of the very com- 

 monest Ducks found in Sweden, and is to be met with during the summer from the coast of 

 Blekinge to Norrbotten, and from Bohus to the coast of Helgoland and Finmark. In Finland it 

 is said by Dr. Palmen to be very common throughout the entire country, but less so in the 

 interior than on the coast ; and I met with it in every part of the country I visited during the 

 summer season. It is, as a rule, a summer visitant, but a few remain over winter round the 

 Aland isles ; it usually arrives in Finland in April, and leaves in October. In Northern Russia 

 it is common; and Von Heuglin met with it on Waigatch in September; but, according to 

 Sabanaeff, it is, comparatively speaking, rather rare than otherwise in Central Russia, much 

 more so than the Goosander. He met with both species on the south-western slope of the 

 Ural. It occurs in Poland ; but I am unaware if it has ever been met with there during the 

 breeding-season. 



Meyer says that it has not yet been found breeding in Livonia ; but Borggreve, speaking of 

 its distribution in North Germany, states (Vogelf. von Nord-Deutschl. p. 135) that it is to some 

 extent a resident on the coasts of the Baltic, but found elsewhere only during the seasons of 

 migration. Mr. Ludwig Holtz says (J. f. O. 1865, p. 188) that he met with it breeding on 

 islands between Hiddensee and Riigen, as also on a sandy tongue of land on the latter island. 



