iS ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



of a lifetime spent in a study of that area, during which period he 

 has personally inspected almost every part of it from the sky-lines 

 to the coast, i.e. east of the watersheds between Dee and Moray, 

 and north of the sky-lines of the Southern Cairngorms which 

 separate " Dee " on the north from " Tay " and the Vale of Strath- 

 more on the south. 



At the present time this duck is a regular nesting species in 

 Aberdeenshire. Its nest was first found in the Loch of Park by Mr. 

 Wm. Evans in 1887 ("Zool.," 1887, p. 465), and previous to this 

 it had probably nested on Loch Skene, as recorded by Mr. William 

 Borrer, who was informed that these birds had bred there for 

 three years, say 1884-87, and that in the latter year, as the game- 

 keeper assured him, there were five or six broods ("Zool.," 1887, 

 p. 427). Mr. Borrer visited the loch on the nth August of that 

 year. 



It appears from a note by Rev. H. A. Macpherson, which 

 follows Mr. Evans's (op tit. p. 465), that he had visited the loch of 

 Skene early in July or a month sooner than Mr. Borrer and 

 himself saw "several broods," thus satisfactorily verifying that 

 gentleman's observations. We may safely consider the year 1884 

 as the approximate date of first occupation of Loch Skene, and it is 

 quite likely it may have nested also a year or two earlier than Mr. 

 Evans found them on Loch of Park. 



Mr. Sim now adds the information that in winter the Tufted 

 Duck is to be found at the mouths of Don and Ythan, and also far 

 up these rivers and on inland lochs, but not in great numbers (/// 

 ///. 24th August 1895). This information was in reply to my in- 

 quiry as to the actual winter distribution of the species in " Dee." 

 The Rev. Mr. Serle also writes us from Peterhead as to its presence 

 on the Ythan where we ourselves have also seen it as late as 

 April and on Fyvie Loch, which is close up to the obstruction of 

 the watershed between " Dee " and " Moray." 



Here also it has bred. We are informed of the fact by Mr. Geo. 

 Muirhead, who writes me (25th August 1895): "I am glad to be 

 able to tell you the Tufted Duck has bred on the Lower Lake (i.e. 

 at Haddo) an artificial sheet of water extending to about thirteen 

 acres in the midst of woods within the policy grounds of Haddo 

 House during the last two seasons. A pair was observed with 

 young in the summer of 1894 ; and this year, I think, several pairs 

 have nested there " ; and Mr. Muirhead adds, " The Tufted Duck 

 has been noticed during the late autumn, winter, and spring in 

 small numbers for a few years back." These notes are very satis- 

 factory as showing strong comparison between " Dee " and " Moray " 

 dispersals, and the importance of watersheds as faunal boundaries 

 as opposed to rivers or valleys, similar data in other places also 

 showing the same (see Solway, Forth, and elsewhere). 



