216 



BRITISH BIRDS. 



broad bill were plainly visible, and set aside all doubts 

 of identification, so that we did not deem it necessary 

 to take any further steps. She showed her uneasiness 

 by giving vent to a sort of guttural grunt, splashed the 

 water with her wings, and finally dived out of sight. 

 The nest was almost invisible, so cleverly were the grasses 

 pulled over the top. The eggs were covered with down, 



Fig. 4. — Xest of Tufted Duck in the same hollow as the Scaup's nest in 

 Fig. 1. May 28, 1907. (Photographed by P. H. Bahr.) 



SO she had evidently heard us approaching. A quantity 

 of blackish down, amongst which were greyish-white 

 feathers, mixed with much fine grass, lined the nest. 

 The eggs were nine in number, of an olive-green hue, 

 and of the same size as those in the Tufted Duck's nest 

 we had just discovered. In the bottom of the nest we 

 found a quantity of old eggshells, and it seems that this 

 hollow had done service on several other occasions. The 



