THE TUFTED DUCK 



obtains its food chiefly at night. It flies well and power- 

 fully, the noise of its rapidly beating wings being very 

 characteristic in this species. It swims well, sitting 

 rather low in the water, and is a wonderful diver, re- 

 maining on occasion as much as a minute below the 

 surface. It passes the day generally well out from shore, 

 sleeping on the water, rarely visiting land. Its note, 

 not often heard, is a harsh kurr. Its food consists of 

 aquatic insects, worms, grubs, lizards, frogs, and small 

 fishes, together with the roots, stems, leaves, or buds 

 of water plants. In our islands the nest is made in May. 

 This is placed amongst the vegetation on the banks of 

 some mere or pond, and is made of dry grass and other 

 vegetable scraps, lined with down. The eight or ten 

 eggs are greenish buiT, and the female takes sole charge 

 of the young. 



The diagnostic characters of the Tufted Duck are the 

 metallic green and purple crown and neck, the con- 

 spicuous crest, and the scarcely perceptible vermiculations 

 on the upper parts (male) ; the white axillaries and 

 alar speculum, and dark brown, unvermiculated head, 

 neck, and upper parts (female). Length i6 to 17 inches. 



The Scaup {Fuligula marila) is a thorough salt-water 

 species which occasionally visits the Metropolitan area. 

 I find it recorded from Wanstead as a casual winter 

 wanderer. The diagnostic characters of the male are 

 the metaUic green and purple crown and neck and the 

 white vermiculated with black lower back and scapulars ; 

 of the female, the white alar speculum and axillaries, 

 and the varying amount of white vermiculations on the 

 upper parts. Length 18 inches. 



In conclusion I may also add that Swans (Cygnin^) 

 and Geese (Anserine) are accidental visitors to the 

 Metropolitan area, and pass over it in some numbers 

 during their spring and autumn migrations. V-shaped 

 flocks of Geese may frequently be detected at a vast 



327 



