236 
THE BIRDS OF HAMPSHIRE. 
About the same time Sir Charles Shelley reported that 
the bird nested regularly at Avington, as is recorded in 
the "Victoria History of Hants"; and in 1904 Sir 
Herbert Maxwell wrote in the " Pall Mall Gazette," that 
" there was at least one brood reared on the lake at Aires- 
ford, though whether they escaped destruction by the pike 
that do greatly abound in that water deponent sayeth not." 
A sixth locality may be added in the Test above 
Quidhampton Mill at Overton, which is now a favourite 
resort of this species all the year round. A brood of fully- 
grown young were seen below the Mill on September ist, 
1904, and an adult male and a young female were shot. 
On July 17th, 1904, whilst we were searching an island 
in the lake at Laverstoke, a female tufted duck was first 
noticed swimming hurriedly across the open water, followed 
closely by seven young ones not more than a week old. 
She took up a position under some overhanging boughs 
near the shore, where she remained quite motionless with 
the young ones clustered together behind her. When 
disturbed from this spot she swam quickly away with the 
young ones following her closely, and when at last too 
nearly approached — within about six yards — she fluttered 
wildly away, uttering harsh " kraking " notes, the young 
instantly diving and coming up again some distance off, in 
various directions, then whilst they were seeking fresh cover 
near the shore by a succession of dives, the duck flew 
backwards and forwards just over the surface of the water, 
" kraking " continually to divert attention from the young. 
When the intrusion on her domain was over she collected 
her brood from beneath the bushes overhanging the water, 
whence they joined her in small detachments, and then 
conducted them away to safer quarters ; the drake never 
put in an appearance the whole time. 
