10 A LAKE SANCTUARY 



The same cause accounts for the wakeful suspicion of 

 the heron; but why should the blameless ducks and 

 divers manifest such different degrees of confidence ? 

 Next to the coot, the most numerous species here is 

 the common mallard, and on this water it is also 

 the boldest, though in the open country or at sea no 

 bird is more difficult of approach than are wild ducks. 

 Their comparative tameness on the lake is owing, 

 no doubt, to so many having been bred in the sur- 

 rounding woods; but, then, why does not that condi- 

 tion affect the teal also, which always remain nervous 

 and keep aloof ? Again, take two of the diving ducks, 

 which, though very similar in habits, are very different 

 in their fear of man. The goldeneye takes wing on 

 his distant approach, but the tufted duck shows an 

 engaging, but often misplaced, confidence in his harm- 

 less intentions. 



The name goldeneye is commonly applied on the 

 west coast of Scotland to the tufted duck (Fuligula 

 cristata). Both species have a bright yellow iris, and 

 the plumage of both presents strong contrasts of black 

 and white ; but the tufted duck, though a pretty and 

 interesting bird, is very inferior in size and beauty 

 to the true goldeneye (Clangula glaucion). The latter 

 is known as Rattlewings in some places, because of its 

 noisy flight. 



Very fascinating are the vignettes of wild life revealed 

 by the spyglass on a bright winter morning with snow 

 on the ground. Sweeping the lens slowly round the 

 water-margin, one may detect many a brightly coloured 



