Common Pochard 19 
p. 238), Lincoln [British Birds, ii. p. 95), Northumberland ^ (Tristram, Vict. Hist, of 
Northumberland), Sussex [Field, 12, v. 77, Borrer, and Millais, Vict. Hist, of Sussex), 
Notts, breeds at Thoresby Park and Newstead Abbey, probably also in other places 
(J. Whitaker), Bucks {Vict. Hist, of Bucks, i. p. 145). 
With regard to W. Saunders' record {Birds of Lancashire, p. 173) of its breeding in 
Lancashire, Mr. R C. Jourdain thinks that the birds which nested there were tame or 
semi-tame ones; but since the progeny of these return and establish the species in that 
area it is somewhat difficult to dissociate them now from wild ones. In the same manner 
the Wigeon has become an established breeding species throughout Yorkshire and Cumber- 
land, owing their origin to a pair which bred with Sir R. Payne-Gallwey at Thirkeby 
Park, Yorks. He gave a pair to Mr. St. Quintin, who bred many, and in turn passed 
on others to Sir R. Graham at Netherby, Cumberland, who has now established it as 
a breeding species on a somewhat large scale. I have no doubt that that beautiful bird, 
the American Wigeon, could be established in similar fashion in the British Isles. 
Once the first pair of breeding birds are established, their progeny seem to acquire 
a homing instinct, and it is easy to get them to pair and nest, and doubtless a large 
percentage of the Common Pochards now breeding throughout the British Isles owe their 
origin to tame birds which have nested. 
JVales. — It is possible that it breeds in Anglesey {Vert. Fauna of N. Wales, p. 284). 
Scotland. — Stirlingshire : I first obtained evidence of the Common Pochard breeding 
in Scotland in 1885 from receiving a young bird, unable to fly, from Mr. Winter, the keeper 
at Doune, who informed me that Common Pochards and Wigeon had bred for many 
years on Loch-ma-Haick ; Perthshire : breeds in many small lochs throughout this county ; 
two or three pairs used to breed regularly on the moors at Murthly, where I have seen several 
young birds unable to fly. It also breeds in the Black Loch, Taymount (see Vert. Fauna, 
Tay) ; Kinross: between the years 1879 and 1885 I saw no evidence of Common Pochard 
breeding on Loch Leven ; about the year 1886 they commenced to breed, and now a few are 
said to breed there.^ I think a pair or two also breed on the Loch of Lindowres. It also 
nests in Fife and Ross ; Moray : a considerable number nest on Loch Spynie, in Elgin ; 
nests on the loch at Kilravock, Nairnshire. It is somewhat curious that it has never been 
found breeding in Aberdeenshire, where it is abundant in winter (Sim). References of its 
nesting in the Border counties, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, are given by A. Chapman 
{Bird Life of the Borders, 2nd ed., p. 89-95). Wigtownshire {A. S. N. H, 1901, p. 117). 
In the Outer Hebrides it nests occasionally at Balranald (N. Uist), where I killed young 
and old birds in August 1899. Mr. J. A. Harvie-Brown thinks it nested in Barra in 1894 
{A. S. N. H., 1902, p. 211). I think it also nests in South Uist ; breeds in Tiree. 
Mr. T. E. Buckley has stated that it bred in Hoy, Orkney, and it is possible it may 
breed in Sanday, where they are numerous in winter, and there is a lake suitable to its 
habits. It is a regular visitor to Shetland, but has not bred there. 
Ireland. — The Common Pochard is very abundant on the large freshwater lakes of 
Ireland in the winter, and it is curious that more do not stay and breed there. Most of the 
^ Mr. Maurice Portal informs me that Pochards are breeding at Greenlea Loch, seven miles from Haltwhistle, this 
summer (1912). 
2 Mr. Maurice Portal informs me (May 1912) that as far as he could gather no Pochards were breeding at Loch Leven 
in 1912. 
