VOL. VI.] SPRING-NOTES ON THE BORDERS. 113 



By mid-April the Tufted Ducivs are thoroughly localized 

 on their selected lochs ; yet they are not all paired, 

 and the glass reveals that many are non-breeders, being 

 in one or other of the slow stages of immaturity. These, 

 nevertheless, associate freely with the paired adults 

 up to the date — about April 25th — when the latter 

 separate to breed. Some commence laying early in 

 May, for we have found clutches of seven and eight 



TUFTED DUCKS— MAY. 



(Adult Drakes, showing distribution of colours ) 

 (Drawn by A. Chapman.) 



eggs on May 15th ; another of eight, quite fresh and with 

 hardly any " down " on the 20tli ; one with seven, 

 also fresh, but with a lot of " down," as late as June lltli : 

 on which identical date we have also observed the first 

 young birds out on the water. After that period, the 

 adult drakes begin to form little bachelor coteries, and 

 by July are losing their crests, preparatory to the eclipse. 



