Osberton Ducks in your work. I never saw so many 011 the water, and for that very reason I am the
more particular not to allow them to be disturbed; but there is a reach o f still water out o f hearing of
the lake, where I hope to be able to get them before the end of the week. I always consider that the
frost, at least in this neighbourhood, saves the Ducks, as the decoys shorten the numbers o f their mess ten
to one more than the sportsman’s gun; and even most o f the rivers are now frozen up. I am especially
well situated, and my sanctuary sw a rm ; but I have only Mallard, Teal, Widgeon, Pochard, and Tufted
Ducks in sight. Goosanders fly over, but the piece o f water is too small for them to stay on it. I cannot
recollect the time when the water has been without two or three pairs o f Tufted Ducks from November
to April; but I believe the first instance o f their breeding here was in the year 1853 or ’54. The nest
was found by the keeper, and shown to me. To the best o f my recollection it contained six eggs, of
Which I took four, placing three in the collection at this place, and giving one to Sir William Milner.
The keepers at Clumber spoke to having observed broods on tbat lake a year or two previously. The nest
I saw was thatched like a Magpie’s ; but I am told that those which have been found here since were
not roofed. The Tufted Ducks have lately increased in number, I believe in consequence o f the introduction
o f the American weed. During the frost we have had as many as forty together. We never find them in
the river above or below the lake, except in a reach o f still water which acts as a mill-dam. I noted
that, when two or more are in company, one always remains as a sentry while the others are under
water. They begin to leave in March; but two or three pairs annually remain till June and have
occasionally brought off their hroods in July. I do not allow the nests to be searched for or the
birds at all disturbed. The nest mentioned above was built o f rushes, or what we call ‘ flags,’ and
partially concealed amongst those growing close to the edge o f the water. I have heard o f eight eggs
in one n e st; and I believe, at Lord Galway’s, at Serlby, a brood o f eight was hatched off.”
The late Mr. John Wolley informed me that the Tufted Duck also breeds freely at Osmaston and other
places in Derbyshire; but these have originated in tamed birds.
Like the other Fuliguline Ducks, this species flies rapidly and directly, swims with the utmost ease and
very quickly, and dives so expertly that it is with difficulty shot on the water; and by this means readily
escapes from the decoy, as, instead o f rising and flying forward when within the tunnel, it immediately
dives and returns to the open p o o l^ t is by diving, also, that it obtains its food, which, when among lakes,
pools, marshes, and the still parts of rivers, chiefly consists o f insects, testaceous mollusks, and worms ; at
sea, mainly of hivalve mollusca. Its flesh is tender and well flavoured, but is not in much demand ; still it
is not uncommon in the markets, where it is sometimes sold under the name o f Black Widgeon.
Speaking o f the bird in Ireland, Thompson says At that beautiful sheet o f water, Ballydrain Lake,
this species is seen to great advantage. When it was frozen over on the 27th of January, 1833, in addition
to a few wild Ducks and Teal, a number o f Tufted Ducks appeared in company with Pochards. During
February the Tufted Ducks continued there; and on the 3rd o f March, a warm day for the season, twenty-
six males, with fine crests and pure white sides, and twenty-five females, with apparently no crests, brownish
sides, and generally o f a brownish black colour, were congregated together. About a dozen Pochards, too,
appeared, with their bills concealed in their dorsal plumage,—a favourite position o f the Fuligulce when
quietly resting on the calm waters o f an inland lake or the sea by day; at.full tide, in particular, they are
thus seen sleeping or enjoying their rest after the toil o f flight Or feeding during the preceding night.”
The following details were taken from the three examples shot by Mr. Foljambe, and kindly sent me to
form the subjects o f the Accompanying illustration. They consisted o f two males and a female; one o f the
former weighed two pounds and two ounces, the other male and the female an ounce less than two pounds
each. A white hand across the primaries and partially across the secondaries o f both sexes must show
very conspicuously during flight, but not so when the wings are closed. The crown and crest o f the male is
purplish black; the cheeks and upper part o f the head appear purple in one light and deep green in
another; the tertiaries and tail-feathers are bronzy brown; centre o f the back, upper surface, chest, and anal
region black, the latter minutely freckled with brown; the remainder o f the plumage white, freckled
with brown on the flanks; irides brilliant orange-yellow; bill beautiful bluish grey; tarsi greyish brown.
The female is chestnut-brown where the male is black, has the anal region white, the irides not so fine
as in the opposite sex and inclining to light brown, and a few light feathers in the front o f the face. With
respect to these light feathers, Mr. J. H. Gurney, Jun., informs me that he is “ quite sure they are a
mark o f youth, though ignored by British authors, and that they exist in very young females and, perhaps
in males.”
The figures represent the two sexes, o f the natural size.