190 THE SHELDUCK AND SURFACE-FEEDING DUCKS 



hind-neck, and back of a pale brown ; before and behind the wings the dark 

 colour of the back trends downwards, forming short transverse bars. [w. p. p.] 



2. Distribution. This is mainly an estuary-haunting species, but 

 occasionally is found breeding at considerable distances from the sea. It nests 

 in fair numbers in suitable localities in our east coast counties, but is scarce in 

 the south-east, though some breed on the south coast from Hampshire westward. 

 On the Welsh estuaries it is very numerous, and is also found on the north-west 

 coasts of England and on the Isle of Man. It is abundant on the east coast of 

 Scotland, but more local on the west side, and is found in the Hebrides and Orkneys, 

 but is of very rare occurrence in the Shetlands. In Ireland it breeds in limited 

 numbers on the low-lying parts of the coast, more especially on the west side. 

 On the Continent its breeding range extends to the Lofodens in Norway, commonly 

 in South Sweden and also in Oland, on the south-west coasts of Finland, accord- 

 ing to Buturlin on the Murman coast in N. Russia, as well as from 51 in the Urals 

 south to Transcaucasia and the Black and Caspian Seas. In the southern Baltic 

 and on the coasts of Denmark, the Frisian Islands, N. Germany, and Holland 

 it is common, and also breeds in small numbers locally in North France and at 

 the mouth of the Guadalquivir in Spain. It is said to nest also on the Tunisian 

 coast. In Asia it breeds from Transcaspia and the Kirghiz Steppes up to lat. 

 53 27' in the Tomsk government, Dauria, and probably Manchuria. On migra- 

 tion it ranges to the Mediterranean and N. Africa (about lat. 23), and in Asia 

 to the Persian Gulf, North India, China, Burma, Formosa, and Japan. It has 

 occurred casually in the Faeroes and Iceland. [F. c. R. J.] 



3. Migration. A resident species, whose numbers are augmented in 

 winter by immigrants from the Continent. In Yorkshire large flocks of migrants 

 occur in autumn and in spring, some remaining throughout the winter : occasionally 

 occurring inland (cf. Nelson, B. of Yorks., 1907, p. 432). Three hundred birds were 

 seen at the Tees light-vessel on 13th Jan. 1882 (cf. Fourth B. A. Migration Report), 

 while flocks of up to two hundred and one thousand birds have been recorded from 



and Welsh waters respectively (cf. Ticehurst, B. of Kent, 1909, p. 341 ; and 

 ffcest'; Fauna N. Wales, 1907, p. 275). The winter increase is also noticeable in 

 Ireland, where the largest flocks are seen in spring (cf. Saunders, III. Man. B. B., 2nd 

 ed., 1899, p. 419 ; and Ussher and Warren, B. of Ireland, 1900, p. 188). Sometimes 

 strikes against the lighthouse lanterns (cf. Nelson, op. cit., p. 433). [A. L. T.] 



4. Nest and Eggs. Occasionally the nest has been found in quite open 

 sites on unfrequented islands, but the normal position is at the end of a tunnel 



