190 
BIRDS. 
223, Querquedula circia {L.). Garganey. 
[Dunbar, in his 1844 MS. to Dr. G-ordon, says : "One killed 
in 1843 in Sutherland."] 
224. Dafila acuta {L.). Pintail. 
Occurs in winter and spring, more frequent in the latter 
season; mostly confined to the south-east districts. Has 
occurred at Tongue, but rarely, and has not often been 
seen of late years. 
Mr. J. M. C. Wallis obtained a nest and eggs of the 
pintail in 1882, on a loch in Sutherland well known to us, 
but the down and feathers having been destroyed by moths, 
the eggs can hardly now be considered perfectly satisfactory, 
although we did, on a previous examination of the down and 
feathers, declare them to be undoubted pintail's. This was 
after we had obtained a genuine nest of eggs of the same 
species on Haskeir, one of the Hebrides, and had thoroughly 
identified them by the down and feathers in the nest. 
A very rare winter visitant to Caithness. Mr. Osborne is 
only aware of two occurrences, one at Wester, and the other 
in the Strath of Stirkoke ; this latter was only wing-tipped, 
and lived in Mr. Osborne's possession for some years 
(0, MSS., 1868). It was noted as occasional as early as 
S. and O.'s List (1862). 
Mr. L. Dunbar records a third, shot on April 1, 1885, at 
Achavaasdale by Mr. Lawson — adult male — and now at 
Mina Villa, Thurso, having been preserved by Mr. L. 
Dunbar. 
Mr. Eeid also mentions having observed this species. 
225. Mareca penelope {L.). Widgeon. 
Common, and resident in the east ; most numerous at the 
Little Ferry and Dornoch Firth in the winter. Breeds 
abundantly in some parts of the eastern district of the 
