2 70 The Irish Naturalist. 



by Mr. Purefoy and Mr. Bagwell that a pair of Pochards bred 

 on the lake at Martfield, near Clonmel. It is a place where 

 breeding wild fowl are tame from protection, as I observed. I 

 do not think a mistake can have been made in this instance. 

 I have seen Pochards lurking about small wooded lakes 

 occasionally, in April ; and it is on such lakes, rather than on 

 those that are large and open, that I should expect them to 

 breed. Mrs. Croasdaile saw one on 17th Maj^ 1873, on a lough 

 in Queen's Co. The Pochard is a winter visitor to Sligo, 

 Queen's Co., and probably to most parts of Ireland. I saw a 

 number of Pochards on the lake at Kellyville, but they are 

 never taken in the decoy. After their arrival they may remain 

 for some weeks, leaving Kellyville if frost sets in, to return 

 again in February, remaining until April. 



The TuFTBD Duck is another species known to Thompson 

 as a winter visitant only, which, nowadays, at all events, 

 breeds commonly on several of the midland lakes. I have 

 found it in the breeding season on ^'Lough Krne, ^I^ough 

 Arrow, ^'I^ough Key, I^ough Forbes, Lough Gowna, ^'lyough 

 Ree, lyough Iron, and lyough Derg, while Mr. Levinge re- 

 ported it to me from Lough Drin, in June, 1892. On Lough 

 Brne Mr. Bloomfield has observed the great increase of 

 Tufted Ducks breeding of late years. Previously to 1877, he 

 only knew them as winter visitants. I have found their nests 

 among flags on stony islands, occupied by Black-headed Gulls 

 and very near their nests, upon high sloping ground on 

 islands covered with rushes among which it bred, and among 

 sedge on small low islets. The eggs are not laid until the 

 beginning of June ; at least those that I took on the 6th and 

 9th June were fresh. When their breeding-haunts are in- 

 vaded. Tufted Ducks quietly swim away, and then remain 

 watching the intruder from the water not very far off. I saw 

 ten together thus on Lough Arrow; on Lough Iron I saw Tufted 

 Ducks in many places, in one place seven together on the 

 14th June, 1 89 1. Their cry is a croak uttered on the wing. 

 In winter Tufted Ducks are frequent in Queen's Co. (Mr. 

 Young). I have seen several on the decoy lake at Kellyville, 

 but like the last species the Tufted Ducks never enter the 

 pipes. 



The G01.DKN Byk in adult male plumage, obtained locally, 

 is preserved at Castle Hamilton, Co. Cavan, Knockdrin in 



