CHAPTER XIX 



MORE OF THE WILD DUCK FAMILY 



The stoutly-built little duck, the Tufted Duck, 

 is a migrant. At one time within my recollection, 

 this bird was fairly well distributed in localities 

 suited to its habits. I cannot say whether at the 

 present time this is still the case ; but one thing is 

 certain, Suffolk and Norfolk still hold the Tufted 

 Duck. These counties have water-ways and other 

 waters which are highly favourable to the species 

 of duck now under consideration ; and they have 

 another advantage besides, and that is the protec- 

 tion given to the fowl on the princely estates in this 

 part of England. 



Like all other diving ducks which get the prin- 

 cipal part of their food from more or less fresh 

 waters, the Tufted Ducks do not seem to observe 

 any hard-and-fast rules in such a matter. In hard 

 weather they visit the tide or tidal waters, and they 

 are compelled to visit salt waters when the ice binds 

 up all others. From what I was told by a Norfolk 



fowler, a man who was well acquainted with fowl 



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