TUFTED DUCK. 467 



usually abundant, but the adult is extremely rare. In the 

 Tees district it is not by any means plentiful ; I have known 

 a few specimens procured at sea, and I obtained a drake, 

 in November 1900, on a small pond on Coatham Marsh, 

 where a few other examples have been noted. 



It occurs with tolerable frequency on inland rivers and 

 lakes ; a flock of eighteen was seen at Masham in October 

 1884, and a party of six was observed on Eccup Reservoir 

 in December 1886. It was enumerated as a visitor to Don- 

 caster Decoy and the Carrs, it is noted in Wensleydale, and 

 has been met with near Sutton-on-Derwent, and on the 

 rivers Wharfe and Nidd, and various streams and reservoirs 

 of the West and North Ridings. 



As a nesting species, the Tufted Duck is increasing in 

 numbers ; in 1849 i^ ^^^ mentioned by the Rev. R. B. Cooke 

 as breeding to 1300 feet elevation at Malham Tarn {Zool. 

 1850, p. 2879) ; subsequent to that period, I have notice 

 of a brood being observed m 1895, and in 1903 three nests 

 were found. Several pairs have nested during the past 

 two years on a protected lake in Nidderdale, and also in 

 the Washburn Valley and on the lake at Castle Howard. 

 On Hornsea Mere the nest was reported in 1856, when 

 the late Sir W. Milner noticed several birds in company 

 with the Pochards {op. cit. 1854, p. 4441) ; it still occa- 

 sionally remains during the breeding season, and of late 

 years one or two pairs have been seen there in early 

 summer. It is noted almost annually at Worsborough 

 Reservoir, near Barnsley, while Major Arundel informs me 

 that a drake, which visited a sheet of water in that neighbour- 

 hood in the spring of 190 1, was incapacitated from leaving, 

 and its mate remained with it, bringing off a brood of seven 

 young {op. cit. 1904, p. 33). 



This duck has bred in a semi-domesticated sta.te, at 

 Thirkleby Park, where in 1887 I had the pleasure of seeing 

 the young ; at Wentworth Park it has been introduced 

 by Earl Fitzwilliam, and it nested on an island in the lake. 



The only vernacular names known to me are Black Pocker, 

 in the Beverley neighbourhood, and occasionally Black- 

 toppin Duck. 



