TUFTED DUCK 241 



is a mystery about where they go, as with males of other species during summer 

 moult. 



Status. The most remarkable thing in the history of this duck is its recent ex- 

 tension of range in Scotland, Ireland, and England. This has been the subject of 

 essays in British periodicals almost too numerous to mention; actual facts about the 

 spread of the breeding stock are plain enough. Less easy, however, is it to account 

 for the reasons of this influx or to tell where the breeders come from. No doubt more 

 careful protection during the breeding season, the passage of the Wild Birds Pro- 

 tection Act in 1886 and the keeping and breeding of pairs in a semi-confined state 

 have all contributed to its spread. But it does seem as if other factors must have 

 come into play. A rather theoretical treatise on the possible origin of the new breed- 

 ing wave was written by Harvie-Brown (1896, 1896a). 



We know that the Tufted Duck bred in Scotland as early as the seventies and 

 probably very much before that at Loch Leven (Millais, 1913). It was probably an 

 early breeder in Norfolk (1823 fide H. Saunders, 1899) and it certainly nested at 

 Osberton in Nottinghamshire since 1854 (Milner, 1854) and possibly still earlier in 

 Yorkshire (1849, R. B. Cooke, 1850). But it could not have been anything but a 

 scarce and local nester anywhere in England until the seventies and eighties. Now 

 it is found almost everywhere in suitable ponds and lakes, far outnumbers the 

 Pochard and is still increasing. This is a most interesting example of an extension of 

 breeding range in a species which is shot regularly through the open season, but pro- 

 tected during its nesting. 



In Ireland it was not found breeding by the early writers (W. Thompson, 1851) 

 and no nest was actually discovered until 1877 or 1879 (Ussher and Warren, 1900). 

 After this its spread was rapid until twenty years later it was nesting in nearly all 

 parts. 



In Germany there are no indications of a very recent increase, excepting in East 

 Prussia where it is very abundant and probably increasing (Geyr von Schweppen- 

 burg, 1913; Tischler, 1914). 



It is said to be the commonest duck in the Caucasus, especially in severe winters 

 (Radde, 1884) and is very common on the lower Amur (von Schrenck, 1859). Its 

 great abundance in winter in India is spoken of both by Hume and Marshall (1879) 

 and by Baker (1921). In the Punjab, the Northwest Provinces and Oudh there are 

 lakes where the former writers saw 10,000 at one time. Nevertheless large bags are 

 not commonly made by Indian shooters. 



Mr. N. Kuroda writes me that it is a very common winter visitor in Japan, al- 

 though less so than the Scaup. 



Enemies. The usual predaceous birds and mammals take occasional toll of these 



