TUFTED DUCK. 215 



breeding seasoiij at the present time, Lord Walsingliam 

 estimates to be about double. Both Mr. Gurney, jun., 

 and myself have had some excellent opportunities of 

 observing the nesting habits of this species ; but I can- 

 not do better than, — as in the case of the pochard in the 

 same waters, — quote the valuable notes Mr. Norgate has 

 been so kind as to favour me with, which I repro- 

 duce in his own words, omitting, of course, precise 

 localities : — 



1883. Juue 1. In one pool I saw eight pairs of tufted ducks, and 

 in another pool five pairs. 



1885. April 24. In the same neighbourhood I saw a tufted duck 



or two, and in two other pools several other pairs. 

 May 26. Many pairs of tufted ducks. 

 June 22. I saw two or three broods of young tufted ducks 



with the old ones. 

 June 26. I saw six or seven tufted ducks with their young 



broods, and noticed the blue bills and yellow irides of the 



old ones. 



1886. May 8. I identified fifteen pairs of tufted ducks. They 



make a noise somewhat like that of the black-headed 

 gull when nesting, but not so shrill. 



May 18. On the same pool I had a good view of a tufted 

 duck as she slipped off her nest of eight brownish eggs 

 in the top of an isolated tussock of Carex, and swam, 

 showing me her blue bill and yellow irides. I had a good 

 view of another tufted duck as she flew from her nest of 

 ten eggs (one of wiiich was nearly black) in a similar tuft 

 of Carex. I also found six more ducks' nests, three of 

 which appeared to be tufted ducks, but I could not 

 identify the owners on that day. 



May 26. At the same pool, on similar tussocks of Carex, I 

 found six downy nests containing respectively seven, 

 eight, eight, nine, ten, and ?, eggs of ducks ; probably all 

 were tufted ducks', for I identified the old tufted ducks 

 leaving two of these nests, and saw four tufted ducks 

 near the other four nests as if they had just left them. 



June 1. I identified a third nest (the one of ten eggs) as 

 the tufted duck, having a good view of the duck and her 

 yellow irides as she flew up from the water a yard or two 

 from the nest, immediately after she had slipped off the 

 eggs, which she left uncovered in her haste. The eggs 

 are usually covered with down when the duck leaves 

 them without being suddenly frightened off. 



June 2. In the same pool I found a tufted duck's nest of 

 nearly black down and white feathers (as in all the other 

 tufted ducks' nests). These white feathers must be from 

 the breasts of the drakes. This nest contained fresh 

 eggs not incubated. I saw the bird rise from the water 

 close to the nest. 



