106 THE ZOOLOGIST, 



glass, but I could generally identify them by comparing their 

 size with that of Herring-Gulls swimming beside them. 



I have seen a very few Terns from time to time, but never 

 sufficiently close to decide whether they were Common or 

 Arctic. 



This forms the complete list that I was able to compile of 

 what might reasonably be described as lake birds. 



The contrast in many respects between the Ducks frequenting 

 this lake and those of Loch Leven struck me. I never saw or 

 heard of either Pintail or G-adwall on Linlithgow Loch, though 

 they breed on Loch Leven. The Tufted Duck is the commonest 

 breeding bird on Loch Leven, and half-a-dozen only were to be 

 seen at Linlithgow. Wigeon breed regularly at Loch Leven ; 

 tbey were very rare at Linlithgow. Teal were common on 

 Linlithgow Loch, and they certainly do not breed commonly on 

 Loch Leven. The Shoveller and the Mallard were the only two 

 whose status on the two lakes seemed to be about the same. 

 They were both reasonably common on each. The Pochard was 

 the commonest Duck at Linlithgow Loch. I believe that it 

 breeds on Loch Leven, but probably not commonly. Of course, 

 I am writing only from experience of Loch Leven during the 

 summer ; but still it is surprising that so many Ducks that nest 

 regularly there seldom or never come to a lake only sixteen miles 

 distant that is so much frequented by other species as Linlithgow 

 is. On a few occasions I was puzzled in identifying certain 

 birds at Linlithgow, but I certainly never had a clear view of 

 Ducks other than those that I mention. 



I do not know if I have made it quite clear just how interesting 

 the birds of Linlithgow are. It is the commonest thing to have 

 Ducks of five or six species in view at the same time. For 

 months during the winter there is hardly a day when there are 

 not some hundreds of Ducks to be seen at a reasonable range. 

 One can examine by the hour birds that in most other places are 

 almost unapproachable. The only regret of the naturalist is 

 that there is no suitable breeding-ground. If the lake were even 

 in the hands of a private owner who was interested in birds this 

 could easily be remedied to some extent. But, as things are, 

 there must be few places in Britain that give opportunities 

 for bird-study of the same kind. I have no doubt that the 



