BIRDS OF DUMFRIESSHIRE 287 
each end, and I found that one flock was over a mile and a 
quarter long ! It varied from sixty to one hundred yards 
in width, and the birds were closely packed. Moreover, only 
half the flock could be seen at one time."* Though this 
observation was not made within the actual hmits of the 
county, it is here quoted to show in what immense quantities 
the Scaup-Duck visits the Solway Firth. Mr. J. Harkness 
writes me from Ruthwell in 1908 that he considers this 
species "scarcer than formerly"; but out in the open Firth 
large flocks of Scaup are still annually seen, though it is 
only in wild stormy weather that they are driven in to our 
coast. 
Within recent years the Scaup-Duck has been discovered 
nesting in Sutherlandshire and the Outer Hebrides, and its 
breeding-range will, it is hoped, extend. It nests in the far 
north of Europe, and in Siberia as far as Bering Island, 
migrating southwards to the countries of the eastern 
Mediterranean, Japan, China, etc., in winter. In North 
America it is also found in summer, migrating south to 
the West Indies and Mexico in the colder months. 
THE GOLDENEYE. Clangula glaucion (Unns^uB). 
Local names — Golden-eyed Garrot ; Golden-eyed Teal ; 
Golden-eyed Duck ; Morillon (of the young and female) ; 
Yelloweye. 
A scarce but regular winter-visitant to the Solway. 
It must be pointed out that one of the local names of the 
Tufted Duck (F. cristata) is Golden-eyed Duck " on account 
of the golden-yellow colour of its irides, and as that species 
has been shown to be increasing, it has been difficult to 
allocate properly the numerous reports of " goldeneyes " 
* Kirkcudbright Advertiser, December 11th, 1908. 
