274 THE DIVING DUCKS 



The usual situation for the nest is only a few paces from the 

 water, and the birds may be said to nest in colonies, so close are the 

 nests to one another. At the beginning of the incubation period the 

 males remain in the immediate neighbourhood of the nest, but later 

 they assemble in flocks during the day, but accompany their mates 

 when feeding at night. The young are mainly tended by the duck, 

 but Messrs. Pearson saw in one or two cases the drakes assisting in 

 the work, and Hantzsch also states that for a short time they associate 

 with their families, but soon return to their bachelor existence. The 

 young are fledged after a period of five or six weeks, and at the begin- 

 ning of September leave their breeding-haunts, the drakes assembling 

 in separate flocks. By the end of September they have all taken to 

 the sea, and during the second half of October make their way south- 

 ward to their winter quarters. 



Enormous flocks may be met with during the winter months far 

 out at sea, resting on the open water " head to windward " by day, and 

 resorting to the mussel-beds and neighbourhood of the shore to feed 

 at night. As a diver the powers of this duck exceed even those of the 

 pochard and tufted-duck, and it can remain under water longer than 

 they do, so that its natural impulse is to seek safety under water ; 

 and it is rather unwilling to take to flight unless very hard pressed, 

 although strong and swift on the wing when once started. 



THE GOLDENEYE 



The common goldeneye is another winter visitor to our shores 

 like the scaup, but, unlike that bird, has not yet been satisfactorily 

 proved to breed with us. There seems to be no reason why it should 

 not do so, as on the Continent its breeding-range extends south to 

 Germany, Switzerland, and Bohemia, and it is reported to have bred 

 even in the Dobrogea. The few cases where it is said to have nested 

 with us are insufficiently authenticated ; but the late E. T. Booth, who 



