244 



BIRDS. 



Innumerable records of their occurrences could be instanced, but 

 these would scarcely be of any significance. Many small lochs, 

 ponds, and especially reservoirs for town supplies or other storage 

 purposes, mill dams even, and long, deep reaches of still-flowing 

 rivers, but also larger lochs like Loch Tay, are frequented by these 

 handsome birds. Often does the inexperienced naturalist confuse 

 them in female or immature dress with Tufted Ducks ; and many 

 reports have reached me of their " nesting among the rushes by the 

 loch sides " ! The Scaup too in adult dress is often taken for the 

 Goldeneye male, because in certain lights and shadows it is no easy 

 matter to distinguish between the males ; just as in these certain (or 

 uncertain !) lights it is well known how difficult it often is to " spot " 

 a Blackcock from a Greyhen during a drive, or to tell the difference 

 between red and black through binoculars at, say, a distance of three 

 hundred yards under a bright sun and "heat-dance " over a shimmer- 

 ing sea and sand ! 



Millais makes the remark that they are numerous on Tay, and 

 even more so on Eden, "in nearly every case immature. It is rare to 

 find adults south of the Moray Firth." While scarcely feeling justified 

 in difi'ering from such an authority, perhaps I may be allowed to 

 suggest that the adult birds of this species are rather more given to 

 frequent fresh-water localities during theii' winter visitations to this 

 country than the younger birds. At least I appear to be borne out 

 in this suggestion by the fact that I have seen more single adult 

 birds upon the river and ponds in central Stirlingshire during hard 

 frosts than I have seen of the young of the year ; but closer to the 

 coast, say at Kincardine-on-Forth, I have usually met with parties of 

 four or more young, unattended by adults. 



Some frequent the lochs around Guthrie and Forfar in winter. 



Harelda glacialis (L.). Long-tailed Duck. 



Abundant offshore and at sea. Winter -visitant. Not often met with 

 inshore except under phenomenal circumstances. 



But it is a very regular winter visitor on the lower reaches of 

 Tay, seldom, however, going above the tideway except in severe 

 storms or keen weather. Most abundant at sea, and seen at times in 

 numbers at the Bell Rock under certain conditions of the tide 

 (Campbell's Xotes on the Xatvral Histm-y of the Bell Bod', and the 

 Migration Reports). 



It is occasionally seen or obtained in the Montrose Basin. One is 

 in the Museum, Montrose, dated September 1887 (List). Two — male 



