TUFTED DUCK. 213 



Gurney saw fifteen tufted ducks, not one of which was 

 an adult male, near the old decoy pipes at Banworth.* 



Mr. Stevenson records a specimen killed at Bockland, 

 which, like the bird described by Yarrell (ed. 4, iv., 

 p. 434), had the feathers at the base of the upper man- 

 dible speckled with white, like the adult female of the 

 scaup ; and with some elongation of the occipital 

 feathers. Tarrell seems to infer that this peculiarity 

 is the result of age, Mr. J. H. Gurney, jun., has also 

 observed the same admixture of white, and considers 

 Yarrell was wrong in his conclusion, and that it was 

 in reality a mark of youth. Mr. Blofeld also has a 

 note to the effect that he has " killed females with a 

 white spot at the base of the upper mandible," but gives 

 no opinion as to their age. The late Mr. Girdlestone 

 states that in some parts of Norfolk tufted ducks are, 

 or were, known as " arps." 



Hunt states that the tufted duck " is frequently seen 

 in our fresh waters as late as the latter end of March or 

 beginning of April," and Mr. Lubbock, after remarking 

 that this species "has never been proved to breed in 

 Norfolk," adds that " many years ago, as that practical 

 ornithologist, the late Mr. Girdlestone, was passing up 

 a narrow passage amidst a wilderness of reeds in one of 

 the broads, an old duck of this species, and three young 

 ones, passed close by the boat." Such was the impres- 

 sion of Mr. Girdlestone and of the fenmanf who was 

 with them in the boat; and, continues Mr. Lubbock, 

 66 1 believe it is almost impossible that they could both 

 have been mistaken." Messrs. Gurney and Fisher 

 (" Zoologist," p. 2134) record the appearance of a tufted 

 drake and three ducks, on the river Wensum, at Cossey, 

 on the 25th April, 1858, and remark that " it is possible 



* To show the excellent results of protection at this season of 

 the year, I may mention tbat at Ranworth, on the same day, Mr. 

 Gurney saw, in addition to the fifteen tufted ducks, a pair of adult 

 golden-eyes, twelve wigeons, a shoveler, eight teal, twenty mal- 

 lards, twelve great-crested grebes, one peregrine falcon, one marsh 

 harrier, stock doves, golden plover, redshanks, and snipes. 



f This occurred at Catfield, in 1825 ; the man who was with 

 him was " Hewitt, our shooting factotum." Mr. Lubbock adds 

 that he himself has seen the old ones on broads in the midst of 

 summer, 



