VOL. VI.] SPRING-N0TP:S on the borders. 117 



that their nesting thereat would ahnost appear a corollary, 

 yet it has not been mj^ luck to observe them there. 

 Moorland loughs however, when remote from a base and 

 often surrounded by belts of sedge and soft quaking-bog, 

 do not necessarily reveal all their denizens in a short 

 survey. In thus extending their area, moreover. Pochards 

 — and other ducks — may and do occupy for a year, or 

 two, sites afterwards abandoned or exchanged for others 

 found more suitable. After all, the extension of area 

 seems now merely a question of a season or two ; but 

 who would have believed that, say twenty years ago ? 



Such is the vast extent of wild heathery mosses and 

 marshy moorland in this region that scarce the full 

 force of the B.O.U. could effectively search it out in a 

 single season — far less two or three belated observers, 

 however hard they work. In conclusion, may I add 

 (apropos of a footnote at p. 386 of Mr. Geo. Bolam's 

 excellent work), that last year I motored — solely in this 

 study — 1,824.5 miles — distances walked, climbed, waded 

 and bog-trotted not registered ! This year the record is 

 less — under 1,400 miles — largely owing to the bad 

 weather (one can't use a glass in rain or fog, especially 

 on high ground), and also to extraneous detail such 

 as a law-suit in London ! 



