122 British Birds, with their Nests and Eggs 



The late Mr. Rodd reports it as common at the Land's End in severe winters. 

 Mr. Southwell says it is sparingly met with in most years in Norfolk from October 

 to March, but at no times can be considered numerous. The late Mr. Hancock 

 thinks there can be no doubt that at one time it occasionally bred on Prestwick 

 Carr, in Northumberland. He had a female in his collection, shot there in the 

 summer, which had all the appearance of having bred in that year. Mr. Haigh 

 informs me it visits the estuaries of North Wales every November, but in small 

 numbers, rarely more than half-a-dozen, together with Mallards. It is far more 

 numerous on the spring migration in February, some remaining to April and once 

 on the 23rd of that month. 



The Pintail is not a common species anywhere in Scotland. It is reported 

 rare in Orkney, and Saxby says never seen in Shetland in the autumn and winter, 

 but in spring, in April, a few small parties, seldom more than half-a-dozen together. 



There is strong evidence of its having nested in Sutherlandshire, and a 

 certainty of its having done so on the rock of Hysgair. off Canna, full particulars 

 of which are given in Messrs. Harvie- Brown and Buckley's "A Fauna of Argyll 

 and the Inner Hebrides," pp. 129-13 1. Since this, a nest of the Pintail has 

 been found in Skye, by the Rev. H. A. Macpherson, in 1889 ; it had been destroyed 

 by rats; but eggs, down, and feathers were taken and the birds identified, 

 (foot note to above). St. John used to see them flying about Loch Spynie, in 

 Moray, in June and July, and had no doubt of their breeding there. 



The Pintail is a much more common species in Ireland than in Great Britain, 

 but very local, as it rarely occurs in the northern parts of that country on the 

 great loughs. Sir Ralph Payne- Gall wey says that on Castle Gregory Lake, in 

 Co. Kerry, he has seen them in hundreds, and on the estuaries of Clare, Connaught 

 and Kerry, a hundred to three hundred may often be seen together. Pintails 

 occasionally nest in Ireland, notably in localities in Queen's County and Co. 

 Galway. They breed readily in a semi- domesticated state ; and there are numerous 

 instances of hybrids between these and other species. 



The winter immigrants come to Ireland in October and even earlier, and up 

 to middle of November. In Iceland they arrive at their nesting quarters about 

 the end of April, and leave again in September; it is not improbable that the 

 source of those wintering in Ireland may be derived from the northern island. 

 I have known Pintails appear on the east coast of England sometimes as early 

 as September, and remain till late in April, at which time the males and females 

 are in pairs. 



Pintails are constantly found associated with Wigeon, and Booth says that in 

 north-east Scotland they are called " Wigeon-leaders." A common local name on 



