THE PINTAIL. 
89 
Pollock, Esq v and they can still be had at any time during that 
season; but more particularly in (and after) the month of January, 
from decoys, which supply Dublin market. Three or four couple 
are taken during the winter in the decoy at Caledon. On Lough 
Derg, on the river Shannon, near Portumna, about five or six 
are generally killed every season. Daniel, in his ‘ Rural Sports/ 
tells us that, in the month of Eebruary only, these birds are 
found in great abundance in Connaught ;* but in that finely 
watered province they are, instead, met with frequently through- 
out the entire season. 
The author of f The Wild Sports of the West 5 remarks, “ When 
winter is coming on, the pintail was noticed in the estuary. 55 To 
the bays of Kerry this bird is a regular winter visitant, and has 
been noticed in the market of Tralee at the end of October and 
first two weeks of November (1848) .f In the harbours, & c., of 
the southern line of coast comprising those of the counties Cork, 
Waterford and Wexford — in which last it is called harlan — as well 
as those on the other three sides of the island, the pintail annually 
appears, and it seems to be in about equal numbers from north to 
south ; sparing as these are, they have not diminished of late 
years like those of various other species. 
In Dublin, this bird bears the name of lady-duck ; owing, 
we may presume, to its graceful and elegant appearance ; it was 
particularly numerous in the market there in the great Anatidce 
winter of 1837-38. On the coast at Malahide, they occurred in 
large flocks, in the winter of 1 849-5 O.J 
A couple of male birds (young of the year), slightly wounded 
in the wing, were purchased for the pond at the Palls, where 
they frequently came under my notice. 
One of them lived for thirteen years, when it was killed by a 
mischievous boy; the other had been previously given away. 
They were very mild in disposition, and became at once quite 
tame. A female bird was introduced soon after the males, and 
one of them associated with her. They seemed duly paired, 
* Vol. iii. p. 278. 
f Mr. R. Chute. 
t Mr. R. J. Montgomery. 
