THE BIRDS OF DEVONSHIRE. 105 



At the present time Slapton Ley is still the chief 

 stronghold of this species during its stay with us. 

 The late Mr. Gurney observed a single Tufted Duck 

 diving in the sea off Torcross as late as the 22nd of 

 May, 1871; remarking: "It seems just possible 

 that these ducks may nest in the adjacent reed 

 beds.' Confirmatory evidence is at present wanting, 

 but the Rev. M. A. Mathew has reason to believe 

 that the Tufted Duck has nested in Devon. Gatcombe 

 met with Tufted Ducks in the Plymouth Markets 

 in November, 1879, and at other times. 



SCAUP. — FuUgula marila (Linn). 



An autumn and winter visitant to our estuaries, 

 rather plentiful in certain seasons, as in October, 



1883, when a good many were killed near Plymouth. 

 The stomach of a drake, which Gatcombe dissected 

 was distended with small spiral shells, mixed with 

 the claws and other remains of minute crabs (Zool. 



1884. p. ^b). 



GOLDENEYE.— (7/«/«^2/;« glaucion (Linn.) 



A wiNTEE visitant, numerous in the time of Montagu 

 at Slapton Ley, whence he received specimens 

 through Mr. Holdsworth, and called the " Pied 

 Wigeon." Elsewhere it cannot be termed abundant, 

 being in fact only sparsely represented with us in 

 most seasons, Mr, Nicholls answers for several 

 Goldeneyes having been killed near Kingsbridge ; 



