BIRDS. 



235 



the one, naturally that food cannot be brought up, or floated up, 

 to the surface. 



When I say it is almost a stranger as a breeding species to south- 

 west Tay, I am not unmindful of other localities close to the borders 

 of Tay, which simply emphasise my remarks above as to suitableness 

 of their areas. 



Querquedula crecca {L.). Teal. 



Old Gaelic name, Crann lacha (old Statistical Account, xvii. p. 252). 



Common resident. Breeds. General distribution. 



The numbers on the lower Tay had become greatly reduced by 

 gunners when Col. Drummond Hay wrote. 



The Teal breeds not uncommonly about Arbuthnot in the north- 

 east, and in suitable places throughout Tay as far as Loch Eigheach 

 and westwards. 



A peculiar variety was described by Col. Drummond Hay {Annals 

 Scot. Nat. Hist., 1896, p. 27), which was at that time intended to be 

 given to the Perth Museum. I did not observe it in the Museum 

 when I visited it in 1905, nor upon previous occasions. 



Millais informs me that as many as 100 Teal have been killed in 

 Murthly Bog in one day, and he continues an account of its general 

 abundance. " It is abundant about Mugdrum Island and the adjacent 

 mud-flats of the Tay. Teal fly very close at times, when flying down 

 wind or 'bunching' after a shot. I once slew 11 Teal with two 

 cartridges from an ordinary 12-bore." 



It is comparatively a rare thing to get much sport with Teal at 

 flight-time, but I remember on one occasion when flighting duck near 

 this house — Dunipace — a "bunch" of Teal came flying suddenly in, 

 as they usually do, very low and very " twisty," almost like Snipe. 

 I fired without having time to get the gun to my shoulder, and to 

 my astonishment I found I had dropped four birds. No doubt they 

 were just " bunching up " preparatory to alighting when I fired. 



Querquedula circia (Z.). Garganey Teal. 



Rare occasional visitant. 



Don quotes the Loch of Forfar as a locality for its occasional 

 appearance (1813), and Dr. Dewar marks it as "a rare visitor in 

 upper Forfarshire." 



Rescobie and Fithie Lochs look as likely places as any for their 

 occasional visitation, but the Rev. Mr. M'Connochie does not include 



