BIRDS. 



227 



August — an unusually early date. Brent are scarce both on Tay and 

 Earn, as there is so little Zostera maritima." 



Bernicla canadensis (Z.). Canada Goose. 



Introduced, but has become a permanent resident. 



It may be possible that true wild birds occur at times, but Canada 

 Geese have been so often and generally introduced for a number of 

 years, that it becomes a hopeless task to discriminate between wild 

 migrants and home-bred vagrants. They are occasionally shot as 

 they wander out from their homes or increase in numbers there. 



Thus Mr. Milne says : "A quantity of these birds are on the 

 ornamental ponds at Glensaugh, and are never interfered w^th, but 

 are allowed to have full liberty, and are never in absolute confine- 

 ment." There are numbers of Canada Geese nesting on this loch 

 near the Cairn Eoad, about three or four miles from Auchenblae {ride 

 in lit, 19th May 1897). About sixteen birds in 1905.— J. A. H.-B. 



I have not been able to ascertain what was the earliest date at 

 which Canada Geese were introduced into Forfarshire, but perhaps I 

 may be able to fix a date before this copy goes to press. 



Nor have I been able to get dates fixed of their introduction at 

 any of the other places where they are now found commonly, such as 

 the loch at Ochtertyre, Crieff; Methven, and others. But, if such 

 dates are anywhere available, it might be of interest — some day — to 

 have the records. I would be pleased to see them placed definitely 

 in our chronology. 



[Bernicla ruficoliis (Pall). Red-breasted Goose. 



Any of these which occur are, in ahuost all cases, escapes from introductions. 



A pair visited the Earn near Moncreiffe in the winter of 1878-9, and it has 

 been seen occasionally on the Tay. One in Col. Drumniond Hay's collection 

 was shot on the Tay opposite Newburgh-on-Tay in the winter of 1829. I 

 cannot say whether any of these rare eastern birds had been introduced by 

 that time or not. 



Mr. D. Dewar saw seven alight upon Loch Tay in January 1899 and 

 secured one (m lit, November 27, 1902).] 



[Chenalopex aegyptiaca (Gm.). Egyptian Goose. 



Millais writes : " I have a specimen which was shot on the Tay in 1887. It is 

 suspiciously like a bird escaped from confinement, so I do not claim too much 

 for it. I purchased it from ]Mr. Malloch.'"'] 



