W I G EON.
ANAS PENELOPE.
TirritE is no denying the fart that in days gone by Wigeoa visited our iborei in larger numbers than
any other of tin* Duck family, anil doubtless they slill return where allowed to remain unmolested. The
increasing numbers oF ]iuul-gunners and shore-shooters have, however, at the present time left but few
undisturbed quarters iii which the large Hocks of this species may now obtain a plentiful supply of food anil
quiet repose.
Wigeon breed in several of the northern counties of the Highlands, and an' so abundant in some parts
that, on one occasion, I remember fifteen nests were passed and examined in a collecting expedition thai
occupied us for two or three days in a remarkably wild and remote district, that is never likely- to he intruded
on by those who would interfere with them. In June liUVi, we found several broods of young on the Hat moors
stretchom towards Ben Amine and other high hills in Sutherland, and after a long tramp wc had our lunch
at a shepherd's shcaling. 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 miirht possibly have been very
palatable, had it not been spoiled by being crammed with carraway.seeds, which gaTC a most peculiar and
unpleasant flavour. Fortunately, with the assistance of a collie dog lying at my feet under I he table, who
snapped up and swallowed what I dropped to him, the whole was disposed of, as my refusal to consume this
delicacy mmht possibly have given offence.
This species, like other wild fowl, occasionally suffers from floods in the Highlands ; a short extract from
my notes for 1848, while collecting in Ross-shire and Sutherland refers to the subject:—
"Junefl, 1SCS. A tremendous storm or rain followed by floods came on during the night, and must
1 inve destroyed the eggs of thousands of Gulls, Ducks, and Divers in the country around I.oebMarcc. The water
in most of the lochs rose several feet, and the greatest number of nests are placed on the banks or out oa the
o[teu moors only just above the ordinary surface of the water. About an hour before mid-day, as the violence
of the storm irrndually diminished, and it eventually became merely a drilly Highland , uv drov e part il
the way, and then ascended to Loch Clare to take the nest of a Wigeon I he keeper had seen the day before.
Not a Wigeon 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 eggl
were, however, fished up,end we then made tracks back over the moors and returned to the inn at Kenloclieue,
as it was no use searching for the birds. On the previous day there had been several Wigeon ducks and alioul
a dozen drakes on the loch, till 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 grcntly swollen. Wc did not reach Gairloth (which was our headquarters I
till late at night, having been away two days and never fired a shot."
There are many notes referring to WigeM in my journals, when (toying at Tain in the cast of Ross-shire,