WIG EON. 
ANAS PENELOPE. 
TirEEE is no denying the faet that in days gone by Wigeon visited our shores m larger numbers than 
any other of the Duek family, and doubtless they still return where allowed to remain unmolested. Ihe 
increasing numbers of punt-gunners and shore-shooters have, however, at the present time left but fevv 
uudisturbed quarters in which the large Hooks of this species may now obtain a plentiful supply of food and 
quiet repose. i i • vvr.v.fo 
Wigeon breed in several of the northern counties of the Highlands, and are so al)undant m some p 
that on one occasion, I remember fifteen nests wore passed and examined in a collecting expedition that 
ocoiipied us for two or throe days in a remarkably wild and remote district that is never likely to be intruded 
on by those who would interfere with them. In June 1868, we found several broods of young on the flat moors 
stretching towards Bon Armine and other high hills in Sutherland, and after a long tramp we had our lunch 
at a shepherd’s shoaling. Among other dainties supplied, in addition to those we carried, the good wife helped 
me plentifully to an immense piece of sheep’s milk cheese ; this curious concoction might possibly have bem very 
palatable, had it not been spoiled by being crammed with carraway-seeds, which gave a most peculiar and 
unpleasant flavour. Bortunatoly, with the assistance of a collie dog lying at my feet under the table, who 
snapped up and swallowed what I dropped to him, the whole was disposed of, as my refusal to consume this 
delicacy might possibly have given offence. 
This species, like other wild fowl, occasionally suffers from floods in the Highlands ; a short extract from 
mv notes for 1808, while collecting in Hoss-shire and Sutherland refers to the subject: 
“ June 6, 1808. A tremendous storm of rain followed by floods came on during the night, and must 
have destroyed the eggs of thousands of Gulls, Ducks, and Divers in the country around Loch Maree. The water 
in most of the lochs rose several feet, and the greatest number of nests are placed on the banks or out on the 
open moors only just above the ordinary surface of the water. About an hour before mid-day, as the violence 
of the storm gradually diminished, and it eventually became merely a drifty Highland mist, we drove part of 
the way, and "then ascended to Loch Clare to take the nest of a Wigeon the keeper had seen the day before. 
Not a AVigeon was to be seen on Loch Clare or Coulan, and the nest was discovered to be about two feet below 
the surface of the water, the loch having risen four feet at least during the night. The nest and eight eggs 
were, however, fished up, and we then made tracks back over the moors and returned to the inn at Kenlochewe, 
as it was no use searching for the birds. On the previous day there had been several Wigeon ducks and about 
a dozen drakes on the loch, all of which most probably had their nests or broods near at hand ; now they had 
all taken their departure. The floods had carried away a bridge, and we had some difficulty in crossing one or 
two of the burns, all of which were greatly swollen. We did not reach Gairloch (which was our headquarters) 
till late at night, having been away two days and never fired a shot.” 
There arc many notes referring to AVigeon in my journals, when staying at Tain in the east of Ross-shire, 
