Family ANATID^E. Genus Anas. 



Subfamily Anatin^. 



PINTAIL DUCK. 



ANAS KQXlTk.—Linnmus. 



Geographical Distribution. — British: Fairly common 

 winter visitor, but breeds sparingly in Scotland and Ireland. 

 Passes the Shetlands on migration, but winters in the Orkneys, 

 and has occurred in every county of Scotland, but becomes rarer 

 in the west, especially in the Hebrides. It is also far from 

 uncommon on the west coast of England, but becomes more 

 plentiful on the east and especially the south coasts. Rare in 

 the north of Ireland, but south from Galway and Meath it is 

 a regular winter visitor. Eggs of this species have been obtained 

 by Mr. Harvie-Brown on Hysgeir, off the south coast of Skye, 

 and I have every reason to believe that the bird breeds 

 sparingly in the Firth of Forth. The late Mr. Hancock states 

 that it formerly bred in the now drained Prestwick Car, in 

 Northumberland. In Ireland, according to Sir R. Payne-Gallwey, 

 several pairs breed at the Duck preserves at Abbeyleix, in 

 Queen's County, and he has observed females with their broods 

 on Loughs Mask and Corrib, in Co. Galway. It may also breed 

 in some parts of Connemara. A fresh-water species, and often 

 frequents inland pools as well as the coast. Foreign . Circum- 

 polar : Patearctic and Nearctic regions ; Oriental and extreme 

 north of Neotropical regions in winter. Breeds throughout the 

 Arctic regions of Europe, Asia, and America up to about lat. 70°. 

 In Europe it breeds much less abundantly south of lat. 60°, 

 although it does so sparingly in North Germany, and Russia as far 

 south as the Caucasus ; whilst in Siberia it is said to breed as low 

 as lat. 50°, which, with the exception of the south-west, is practi- 



