256 
ANATID^. 
down towards the breast — with a rapid jerking motion. Alto- 
gether, the Scaup is a bird of strongly-marked individualities. 
THE TUFTED DUCK. 
Fuligula cristata. 
This is another rather uncertain winter visitor, arriving at 
irregular intervals soon after the commencement of autumn, 
and staying until spring, when the weather is not too severe 
for it to remain upon the lochs. Should these become frozen, 
it resorts to the sea-coast ; where, however, it will not wait 
long, taking a final leave of the islands if the frost continue 
more than a week. It apparently submits to a marine diet 
simply as a makeshift, for it eagerly returns to the lochs as 
soon as the ice begins to disappear. It is never common, but 
is perhaps somewhat overlooked on account of its mingling 
with the flocks of Golden-eyes which frequent the larger inland 
waters. Sometimes a single individual is the sole occupant of 
a retired inland loch for weeks at a time. All that I have 
examined have had insects and larvae in the stomach, but twice 
I have discovered fish spawn in considerable quantities. It is 
so very shy that it is scarcely ever shot. When wounded, 
or surprised in deep water, it instantly dives, and by the aid 
of the wings it makes very rapid progress beneath the surface. 
Sometimes a wounded bird disappears in a very mysterious 
manner. According to the popular belief, it clings to the 
bottom and dies there ; but before this idea can be accepted as 
a fact, it must be proved that the bird is really dead, bearing 
in mind that it is capable of remaining out of sight for hours 
at a time by merely raising the bill above the surface as often 
as is requisite for the obtaining a fresh supply of air. 
