WILD DUCKS AND DUCK DECOYING 151 



eyes in all the glory of matured plumage. A relative, 

 during a solitary ramble by a rush-grown mountain 

 tarn, had the good fortune to see these birds well 

 within shot. Being a keen sportsman and fowler 

 his fingers tingled to touch the trigger which should 

 bring the rare prize to his hand. He was quite un- 

 aware of any other presence when a couple of shots 

 awoke the echoes of the valley, and the ducks 

 floated lifeless upon the water. When the white 

 smoke lifted from the brush and reeds it showed the 

 head and shoulders of a keen sporting friend of the 

 first observer, and a beautiful drake now adorns the 

 collection of each. 



The tufted duck is a prettily-marked species, 

 and has the feathers on the back of the head elon- 

 gated into a drooping crest. The upper plumage 

 generally is black, flashing with green, bronze 

 and purple lustres, and the under plumage white. 

 Although numbers of tufted ducks breed upon fresh 

 water in this country, the great majority are only 

 winter visitants, coming in October and leaving 

 again in March. It rarely congregates in flocks, 

 being mostly found in scattered squadrons about 

 shores and channels. Norfolk and Nottinghamshire 

 are the counties where the tufted ducks are known 

 to breed, and here, on decoys or in parks, they find 

 favourite retreats. The nest is made under a clump 

 of grass or rushes, and from ten to thirteen eggs are laid. 



