BIRDS. 



249 



side, which are mostly immature, are not breeding birds, but probably- 

 younger males driven away from the nesting haunts of the species, 

 and more likely of Northern European origin. 



Flocks of these birds also frequent the mouth of the Tay a little 

 further to the north, but rarely ascend above the tidal portions. 

 They are likewise found, but more rarely, on the waters of the 

 Montrose Basin, and here and there along the Forfar and Kincardine 

 coasts. "We have e^^dence of this distribution in specimens in the 

 Montrose Museum, one of which was obtained in 1838 as late as 

 Aucnist. 



In 1885 Mr. W. Evans counted fifty or sixty Scoters off Eden- 

 mouth on 31st May, some of which were Velvet Scoters. 



I remember shooting Velvet Scoters in the Firth of Forth many 

 years ago, and my impression is that there were adults amongst 

 them, but of this I cannot now feel certain. All I can and do 

 remember now is that when the birds rose in front of my boat, they 

 were very like Blackcocks. 



3Jillais does not appear to have considered this species to be so 

 common on the Tay estuary. He speaks of them thus : " Common 

 in St. Andrews Bay, whilst a few parties frequent the Tay estuary. 

 Only immature birds seem to ascend the Eden river, and then not more 

 than two miles from the sea. During a westerly gale in February 

 188.5, a large number of Velvet Scoters entered the Eden estuary for 

 shelter. By building a shelter and trench of sand, I secured as many 

 specimens as I wanted in an hour. They are very tough birds to kill." 



Mergus merganser. L. Goosander. 



Common. Resident. Increasing. Breeds. 



The Goosander appears to have been very seldom seen anywhere 

 on the east coast, or at any eastern localities of the area, up to the 

 date of 1871. This was the vear that I obtained a clutch of eo-o-s 

 from Loch Ericht, and the undoubted tendency of dispersal came 

 from the west and north-west. But although scarce at that time, still 

 it was a somewhat regular Wsitor, preferring the upper reaches of the 

 Tay and other main streams to the lower or tidal 2X)rtions. Of later 

 years they have appeared however in greater numbers on the lower 

 reaches and off Dundee, as reported to Mr. Xelson (no doubt repre- 

 senting the extent of their migrations from breeding haunts to 

 winter quarters). It is now seen also every year upon the Earn and 

 the Almond. 



