THE WIGEON. 
99 
the end of which month in the same year many remained in 
Belfast Bay. In 1838, some also continued there until a late 
period, as did a number of other migratory species of birds, in 
consequence of a prevalence of east and north-east winds ; — on 
the 23rd of April a flock of about forty was seen. 
The decoy-man at Caledon saw an old pair of wigeon frequently 
there in the summer of 1849 ; and, very early in the autumn, 
remarked that they were accompanied by three others, which he 
imagined might be their young. There was no marked disparity 
in size between the old and the supposed young, when these were 
first observed ; — the dates were not remembered. Numbers of 
wild ducks and teal breed in this demesne. 
Eowlers at Lough Corrib (Mayo) state, that during the time a 
part of the lake and the adjoining lands were strictly preserved by 
a proprietor, who died about two years ago, wigeon bred annually 
there ; but as his successor has allowed shooting over the pro- 
perty, these birds are now only to be seen in winter.* 
A fowder, who went with his swivel-gun for a week's wigeon- 
shooting at Strangford Lough, in 1846, reported, on his return, 
that either during a hurricane, which took place on the night of 
Tuesday the 3rd of March, or immediately after it, the wind being 
from the south, the great body of wigeon left the lough, probably 
on their northern migration, as on the four following days none 
but weak birds were to be seen. On the 1st of April, a flock of 
about two hundred was observed in Belfast Bay : when ap- 
proached, they went right off northward, as was supposed, on mi- 
gration ; — on the 17th of this month, six adult males appeared 
together ; on the 20th, a flock of twenty birds was noticed ; and 
on the 22nd, a flock was heard at twilight flying towards the bay. 
In 1847, a flock of thirty wigeon was observed on the 2 2nd of 
April, and one of half that number, from which three were shot, 
on the 1st of May.f These birds gather in such dense flocks, in 
* Mr. R. J. Montgomery, Feb. 1850. 
f Mr. R. J. Montgomery, in a letter to me dated April 26, 1849, remarked that 
he had shot wigeon in Drogheda Bay about ten days previously. He had not before 
seen them there so late in the season. The adult male is called golden-head (a nor- 
thern name for it also), the female and the young, black vngeon, in that bay. 
