THE TUFTED DUCK IN SCOTLAND 21 



country in such situations. It is only at one locality, so far as 

 Dunbar knows, even at the present time, that the Tufted Duck 

 breeds in Caithness, viz. on Stemster Loch. He gives the additional 

 information, writing to Buckley under date nth September 1895 : 

 " I have never known it as a winter visitor here. I think it must 

 winter in the south of Scotland, but now I am positive that it has 

 bred on Stemster Loch seventeen years ago, and every season since. 

 I am not aware of it breeding on any more of the inland lochs in 

 Caithness, and have never known it to be found on the sea anywhere 

 hereabouts." 



Later than Dunbar's earlier communication, and than the sup- 

 posed earliest occupation, which would be about 1878 (i.e. seventeen 

 years ago) (the first identified nest was taken, however, by Buckley 

 at Loch Stemster on yth June 1889), this record is supplemented 

 by Buckley in the "Annals," 1892, p. 163. He tells us the Tufted 

 Duck has "spread enormously in the last three or four years, but 

 not yet recorded as breeding from Sutherland : very abundant in 

 Caithness." To this we may add further that Dunbar and Harvie- 

 Brown found many nests, often close together, on the islands and 

 shores, amongst dense beds of reeds and nettles, of Loch Stemster, 

 where they had been breeding as early as May, and quite a fortnight 

 earlier than in previous seasons, as Harvie-Brown was assured both 

 by Dunbar and by Mr. Beaton, the gamekeeper, who accompanied 

 them in their search. 



ORKNEY. 



In Orkney we find evidence of its appearance as early as 1828, 

 though rare and only in severe winters (Fleming). Again in iSSi, 

 in a letter, dated 28th December 1881, from Mr. W. Irvine Fortescue, 

 writing from Swanbister, that gentleman says he shot, amongst other 

 things, "a Tufted Duck, which appears to be not uncommon." 



Mr. Allan Briggs, when residing in North Ronaldshay, and who 

 had had previous years' experience of the same locality, saw and 

 shot his first Tufted Duck on loth October 1892, and another in 

 January 1893, and a third at an intermediate date, as recorded in 

 the "Annals" (1893, p. 74), and as also recorded by Hinxman, 

 (loc. cit. p. 159). There is a previous record, however, where it is 

 stated to be very common in Orkney as a winter visitant, frequenting 

 the Lochs of Harray and Skail ; and Millais is said to have found it 

 breeding in Orkney ("V. F. of Orkney," March 1891). 



In Orkney in 1894 Messrs. Maloch and Millais found a nest on 

 one of the islands of Loch Harray, and in 1895 Mr. Maloch saw 

 several pairs. 



SHETLAND. 



In Shetland, while Saxby in 1874 spoke of it as an "uncertain 

 winter visitor" and staying till spring, our further records are at 



