200 Automr the Birds in Northern Shires. 



~i> 



of this Duck varies a good deal according to locality. 

 In southern haunts the duck commences to lay at 

 the end of April or early in May; in North Notts 

 the birds are at least two or three weeks later. The 

 nest is frequently made in a tuft or tussock of sedge, 

 amongst long grass, or beneath a small bush. It is 

 merely a hollow lined with a little dry vegetation, 

 but as the eight or ten eggs accumulate, the duck 

 surrounds them with a bed of down plucked from 

 her own body. These eggs are greenish -buff in 

 colour. Tufted Ducks are most expert divers, and 

 feed much towards evening, during the night, and 

 early in the morning. By day they may usually 

 be seen swim'ming lazily about, preening their 

 plumage, and now and then sleeping, as they float 

 buoyantly upon the water far out from shore. The 

 Mallard is also a common bird about these ponds 

 and pools. We have already seen that it not unfre- 

 quently nests far from water amongst the more open 

 parts of the grand old forest; but nevertheless a fair 

 number of birds frequent these pools for domestic 

 purposes. The Shoveler is also present, if in much 

 smaller numbers, and hides its very similar nest 

 in much the same sort of places. Its nine or ten 

 eggs are, however, pale huffish -white, with a faint 

 tinge of olive. The tame and confiding little Teal 

 — smallest of all our British Ducks — is also a com- 

 mon resident in this district. We cannot say 



