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THE GREYLAGS OF BLAIR DRUMMOND 195<br />
pitch right out in the middle of a field, and, with sentries<br />
posted, a near approach to them is<br />
impossible.<br />
They are sometimes seen feeding in the same field with<br />
wild birds, with which, however, they do not associate, and<br />
although they answer the calls of the wild geese which pass<br />
over in great numbers between the estuary of the Forth and<br />
Cardross Moss in the winter time, they do not join them.<br />
In severe frosts, when the ground<br />
is hard and their<br />
water frozen, they disappear, and remain away for a long<br />
time, probably frequenting tidal waters. In the exceptionally<br />
hard winter of 1894-95 they were absent from the middle<br />
of December till the middle of March. They went away in<br />
two flocks of sixteen and twelve birds respectively, and<br />
returned together on the same day without one of their<br />
number missing.<br />
With regard to the Blair Drummond Greylags not<br />
joining the wild birds, Mr. Macdonald of Balranald, North<br />
Uist, with whom I have been in correspondence, has a<br />
different experience. He has had a flock of semi-domesticated<br />
geese for some years,<br />
which cross with his tame ones.<br />
He tells me that unless they are pinioned there is a great<br />
risk of losing them during the winter and spring, as such<br />
large flocks of wild geese frequent the loch near his house<br />
where the tame ones feed, and the former often draw away<br />
some of the latter which fly best as a rule the older birds<br />
remain and hatch out on the moss away from the tame<br />
birds.<br />
Mr. Macdonald once pointed out to me a pair of Swans<br />
They have a brood<br />
which he has had for over thirty years.<br />
every spring, and unless the cygnets are pinioned they join<br />
the wild swans, and only come back at certain times.<br />
I was unable to obtain any information as to the successful<br />
hatching out of any eggs laid outside the Blair Drummond<br />
domains till this year, when news was received that a pair<br />
of wild geese had nested at Ardoch near Braco, and that a<br />
young bird had been secured and was in captivity. Having<br />
been asked to go there and investigate the affair, I was able<br />
to clear up what was a mystery to those who were unaware<br />
of the existence of the Blair Drummond birds. The distance<br />
between the two places<br />
is ten miles as the crow or goose<br />
'
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