68 
The Scottish Naturalist. 
shot right and left on the banks of the Tay, near Seggieden, by 
the gamekeeper there^ on the 30th December, 1890. The 
pecuUarities in this bird are as follows : — The bill bluish grey with 
the centre ridge black instead of being greenish yellow, as in the 
common Mallard, and much narrower in comparison to its length. 
The head, instead of being of the rich, glossy green of the common 
bird, inclines more to a brownish shade, which is especially seen 
as the feathers are lifted up by rubbing the wrong way. The 
white collar is broader and inclining upwards on the side of the 
neck as in the Pmtail, but not nearly to the same extent. The 
wing is also different. The speculum being bright green instead 
of purplish blue and much narrower — the primaries also being 
shaded with brownish chestnut instead of white. The legs also 
are of a much paler yellow than those of the typical bird — but the 
most marked difference is in the tail — the under coverts have the 
black more extended. The tail feathers are much more prolonged 
and pointed than in the Mallard, and wanting the curled feathers 
— the two centre ones which are black, are the longest, but 
shorter than those in the true Pintail, and inclined upwards as if 
partaking somewhat of the character of the curled feathers of the 
true Mallard. The measurements of the two were about equal, 
barring the greater length of the tail in the Hybrid. 
Smew {Mergus albellus', Linn.) — A female of this species, be- 
lieved to be a bird of the year, was shot on the Tay at Seggieden, on 
the same day as the above, 30th December, 1890, also by the 
keeper. This is a very rare bird in Perthshire, and only the 
second that I have any record of as having been got on the Tay 
"proper," and the fifth within the whole district or watershed of 
the Tay and its tributaries — extending along the coast as defined 
by the Tay District Salmon Fisheries, from the Redhead to Fife- 
ness. In the Tay, Mr. Thomas Marshall of Stanley tells me (in 
lit. 27th November, 1888) that a female of this species was shot 
only a few days previously, namely, on the 20th, in the Stormont- 
field breeding ponds, with four salmon parr in its stomach, and 
the remains of others more or less digested, 'i his bird was in 
fine plumage. Of the three others obtained in the district — the 
first of which I find any record, was in the winter of 1837, when 
a female was shot on the Eden, near St. Andrews; and in the 
same vicinity on the Kenley on the 16th February, 187 1, a male 
was shot in full adult plumage \ this bird had 10 minnows in the 
