BIRDS. 



239 



regards more southerly haunts which can be held as owing their 

 origin to any extension from northerly directions. It must, however, 

 remain for our later historians in the south of Scotland to trace 

 their advances of populating vigour, which have within comparatively 

 recent years occupied many places south of Forth and Clyde ! I do 

 not feel quite assured that the latter owes anything to extension from 

 northwards (?). 



As yet it is only spoken of as a rare visitor in winter to the lochs 

 of Guthrie parish by the Eev. Mr. M'Connochie, i.e. to date of 1905. 



So far as I am aware, it has not yet appeared as a breeding species 

 in the north or north-east of Fife, though the lochs there are perfectly 

 suitable apparently to its requirements. 



Ohs. Hijhrid JFigeon and Pintail. — Mr. J. G. Millais, writing from 

 Fort George in 1890, draws my attention to the fact that he obtained 

 a specimen of this hybrid, which had been shot on the river Isla, near 

 Perth, by his uncle, Mr. George Gray, and at the same time he 

 remarks upon the commencement of a visible increase in the numbers 

 of the Pintail (see under Pintail). 



Fuligula ferina {L.). Pochard. 



Common winter visitant prior to 1880. Since become resident and a 

 breeding species. 



The same remarks in modified degree apply to this species of Duck 

 as those under Tufted Duck (which see) ; though, of course, this is a 

 surface Duck as compared with the Tufted. 



In 1813 Don considered it rare. 



It was known to breed prior to 1895, and a male was shot at 

 Kinop Mire on 1st March 1879 {and. Col. Drummond Hay). 



The first recorded Pochard's nest in Scotland was one at Loch 

 Mochaick on the Braes of Doune (Forth), and not far removed from 

 the southern boundary of our present area. It was recorded by my 

 friend Mr. John Hamilton Buchanan, of Leny, Callander, and was 

 taken on the 22nd May 1879. 



Godfrey first saw Pochards on Loch Lindores— north of Fife,— and 

 he felt convinced that they were breeding there in 1896 ; but it was 

 reserved for Mr. W. Evans to find the nest in 1897. Again Godfrey 

 found them there in 1898, but the nest was out of reach {Annals 

 Scot. Xat. Hist., 1898, p. 291). Evans was aware of at least three or 

 four nests there in 1897. 



