BIRDS. 
187 
winter. Earely seen in the west; more frequently in the 
north. 
In Dr. Pococke's time (1760) "a few swans come 
here (i.e. to Loch Shin) every year in the hard weather, 
and a great number came in the year 1738 " (op. cit. 
P- 7). 
A regular winter visitant to Caithness, a very favourite resort 
being the land on each side of the Wick river, when the 
latter overflows its banks (0. MSS., 1868). 
Mr. L. Dunbar includes it as " rare, killed when migrat- 
ing northwards " ; there is a stuffed one, shot at Westfield 
by Mr. Nichol, gamekeeper. It is now in the possession 
of Mr. Trail, Castlehill. A flock, "estimated at about 
sixty, flew south past Wick in 1871 " (Edinhrirgh Evening 
Courant of 18th December 1871). 
2 1 6. Cygnus bewickii, Yarr. Bewick's Swan. 
Winter visitant ; one shot at Altnaharrow in the winter of 
1879; probably of more frequent occurrence than is sup- 
posed, not being distinguished from C. musicus. 
Mr. Wm. Dunbar, in his MSS. List in 1844, includes it 
as " common in winter in Sutherland," and we are disposed 
to consider that it is a species of not uncommon occur- 
rence. 
Not mentioned by any of the earlier authorities, nor marked 
as recognised by Mr. W. Eeid ; but Mr. L. Dunbar has records 
of four which were shot between 1881 and 1885, and which 
he stuffed, 
217. Tadorna cornuta {Gmel). Sheldrake. 
Most frequent during the breeding- season, nesting in the 
rabbit-holes in the sandhills of the north and east coast. 
