222 THE BIRDS OF SHERWOOD FOREST. 



together at a time, while in the winter of the following 

 year immense flocks visited us. A few stragglers are 

 occasionally found on the brooks, and in February, 1848, 

 I saw a male bird for several successive days on the 

 stream at the bottom of my own garden. Some floating 

 rubbish had accumulated against a wooden grating, 

 which stretched across the stream, and here the bird was 

 feeding; but on my sudden approach it immediately 

 took wing, uttering its alarm cry, which greatly resem- 

 bled the wild duck's, but considerably shriller. On each 

 of the following days I succeeded, under cover of a 

 hedge, in getting within three or four yards, where I 

 could watch it unperceived, and was greatly interested 

 in its exceedingly lively active habits ; but a very slight 

 sound was sufficient to awaken its alarm, causing it to 

 look round with a glance of its quick eye, erect its 

 pendant crest, and take to flight if the sound was 

 repeated. 



I was one day watching a large flock of this species 

 on Thoresby Lake, amused by their incessant diving and 

 their active chases after each other, when I witnessed a 

 singular freak on the part of a female, of turning herself 

 over in the water and floating on her back for several 

 minutes, while with her feet she appeared to be preening 

 the feathers of the belly. 



Towards the beginning of April the tufted ducks com- 

 mence leaving us for the north, not taking their depar- 

 ture all at once, but gradually diminishing their numbers. 

 In some years their stay is more prolonged than in 

 others doubtless influenced by the weather; for in 

 1856, when the spring was unusually cold and uncon- 

 genial, they remained with us until May 13, on which 

 day I saw a great number engaged as usual in diving 



