BIRDS. 



231 



until again the south-west is reached, where it appears to be scarce. 

 It is, however, very general all over the area, and designated 

 common around the lochs and marshy grounds near Forfar and 

 Guthrie. 



Glen Ogle and the west end of Loch Earn do not appear to be 

 so much favoured by the species as many other parts, and Mr. 

 Godfrey remarks more than once upon its scarcity there. 



Close to that locality, however, I have to take notice of an 

 albino which was obtained on the Balvaig Burn, which flows out of 

 Loch Voil (Forth) ; and the proprietor, Mr. Carnegie, of Stronvar, 

 had e\adence to show that it was a truly wild-bred bird, because he 

 knew of two others — apparent albinos — having been seen at the 

 same time, which were accompanied by two others of normal appear- 

 ance, in a brood of Anas boscas (Proc. Boyal Fhijs. Soc, vol. v. 

 p. 34). But I do not feel that this is absolutely conclusive e%ddence 

 myself. 



Tadorna casarca (L.). Ruddy Sheldrake. 



Specimens are on record as follows ; and they have even been made to 

 appear as if the birds might have bred if they had been allowed to 

 do so, i.e. if the whole information could be relied upon at all. 

 Thus :— 



One was caught in a rabbit-hole at a certain place on the sand- 

 dunes of Forfar {aucf. Mr. M 'Andrew, viva voce to Col. Drummond 

 Hay), and this was verified by a Mr. Marshall, birdstufi'er, Arbroath, 

 who said he had had two or three of the same species " three or four 

 years before" (i.e. prior to the above). And another was shot in the 

 same neighbourhood in April 1881, also by the same Mr. M'Andrew, 

 junior, plumber, Carnoustie, and also stufi'ed by the said Mr. Marshall 

 (vide Trans, and Proc. Perth. Soc. Nat. Sciences, vol. i. p. 10, for 

 both of these records). Again, in 1894, three in winter plumage, 

 one being a young one and two old, male and female, were shot in 

 company, and another was seen on 26th September 1894. Two of 

 these are in the Perth Museum, and were believed by Col. Drummond 

 Hay to be genuinely wild birds. 



I would hardly think it worth while to repeat these accounts, 

 were it not that they seem to have been accepted in the Museum. 



I place them in square brackets, as either they may have been 

 bred from escaped birds, and were not truly wild ones. Ornitho- 

 logists whose knowledge tells them about the usual known range of 



