96 BIRD-LIFE OF THE BORDERS 



tribe during the nesting time. Their inland haunts being- 

 restricted to such narrow limits, since the total area of 

 inland waters can only reach a few thousand acres, and 

 these being- often private and preserved property, one 

 cannot frequent such spots with the absolute freedom 

 necessary for definite investigation. True, one can take 

 stock of all the fowl on a loch by walking round it with 

 binoculars ; but to ascertain precisely the local status 

 of wildfowl, necessitates much closer and more prolonged 

 attention. 



There have been small loughs and moss-pools on many 

 of the shootings that we have happened to hold, and 

 these were always interesting as affording summer-homes 

 to various waterfowj. But of the duck-tribe, the only 

 species that ever nested with us were the common 

 mallard and the teal ; though we had golden-eyes lingering 

 until May, and tufted ducks, wigeon, and others arriving 

 as early as September. The following summer-notes on 

 other species have, therefore, been based on mere casual 

 observation without that full opportunity for close investi- 

 gation that is desirable. 



Gadwall. — This is one of the species that might 

 conceivably nest here ; 1 but the only two observations 

 here recorded rather point the other way : — 



Afarc/i 26. — Six gadwall, with a pair of shovelers, on 

 Boldon Flats, county Durham. Next day the shovelers 

 had gone, and only four gadwall remained. By April 2nd, 

 they also had disappeared. 



March 27. — Four gadwall, together with many mallard 

 and wigeon, and quite 100 teal, on Grindon lough. A 

 fortnight later, both gadwall and the rest had gone ; but 

 a pair of shovelers had appeared, with apparent intention 



1 It does so in Norfolk ; and I have also found its nest in Spain. 



