GAME BIRDS AND WILD FOWL. 417 



Time during which the Tufted Duck may be taken.— 



August I St to March istj otherwise by authority of owner or 

 occupier of land. 



Habits. — During its sojourn in our islands the Tufted Duck 

 is for the most part a coast bird, those that frequent inland 

 waters being the resident individuals that breed with us, or birds 

 that have been enticed by them. The Tufted Duck makes its 

 appearance in the British Islands towards the end of October or 

 early in November, and remains until the following March or 

 April. They arrive at their Arctic haunts with the thaw and 

 leave in September and October. Their arrival in and de- 

 parture from India is at about the same time as in England. 

 The principal haunts of this Duck with us are the low-lying 

 coasts, especially in the neighbourhood of mud -banks and 

 estuaries. In India it prefers large sheets of water with plenty 

 of weed at the bottom and plenty of reeds and rushes round the 

 margin. Odd pairs and small parties also frequent the smaller 

 ponds where food and cover are suitable ; but the large flocks of 

 this bird that congregate in that country in the cold season, some- 

 times ten thousand strong, are invariably found on the extensive 

 sheets of water. The Tufted Duck migrates at night, generally 

 in large flocks, and on passage will often pay a fleeting visit 

 to some lake or pool en route. It is also nocturnal in its habits, 

 seeking most of its food at night, in this country, but, curiously 

 enough, Hume remarks that they are day feeders in India. The 

 flight of this Pochard is rapid and well sustained, smooth and 

 easy, but the rapidly-beaten wings make a characteristic rustling 

 sound. In rising the bird strikes the water with its feet some- 

 thing like a Coot, so that when a large flock takes wing together 

 the splashing can be heard for a long distance. It swims well 

 and rapidly, sitting rather low in the water, and, of course, dives 

 with marvellous speed and skill, sometimes remaining below for a 

 minute or more. During the day the Tufted Duck usually keeps 

 well out from shore, often sleeping and preening its plumage 

 whilst in the centre of the lake. It rarely visits land, and always 

 tries to evade pursuit by diving if possible; and Hume states 

 that after a gun has been fired, he has seen a large flock of several 

 hundred birds dive simultaneously as if moved by a common 



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