SCAUP
while searching fur fund, it was evident that the greater number, if not the whole, were paired, the ducks
and drakes in every instance keeping company, and one or the other with croaking notes occasionally
resenting a near approach from another couple.
After many attempts to ascertain the truth, I am unable to state with certainty that Scaups rear
their young in this country ; though failing to detect their nests after most careful watching, I
remarked that a few pairs occasionally remained all through the summer in the Highlands. I often
noticed two old drake Scaups, late in the spring of lSfi9, on Loch Slyu, in the east of Ross-shire; they
also resorted to a small muddy rush-grown piece of water, with which the loch is connected by a narrow
stream of about a mile in length, just navigable for a single punt. The swamps and stunted plantations,
rank with moist undergrowi b, around tins paradise for birds were frequented by many kinds of fowl; and I
have little doubt that the nests of more than one species, supposed to be only winter migrants to our
shores, might in those days have been detected, bad sufficient time been devoted to the search. During the
course of a thorough exploration of this locality in the first week in June, I distinctly saw a female
Scaup crossing the marshes on wiog, though the drakes, as far as I was able to ascertain, were absent;
on the following day this bird, or another of the same species, was seen on the water in the early
morning and again towards evening.
While travelling by rail to Team, on a visit to the haunts of the Scaup about Loch Slyu,
I was much amused at the manner in which one of the fishwives was observed to provide for the
safety of her railway ticket wliile on her rounds. The train had just pulled up at a small station,
when a bright-looking lassie, in the familiar garb o:' the tbaing-popubition, alighted, and lowering her
well-laden en-el to the platform, proceeded to divide her return ticket into the two halves. She next
lifted one font on to the Top of the basket, a ad raised her dark blue skirt;, then turn inn1 down her stocking,
she carefully enveloped one half of the ticket in two or three folds taken round the top. Having completed
this little arrangement to her satisfaction, she swung the dripping ba-ket over her back, and turning
towards the outlet-door, delivered up to the collector the requisite portion of the ticket, and started
off to dispose of her load of baddies.
T I F T E D DUCK.
t'ULIGULA I III ST AT J.
Tuts hardy diving-duck is to be found in every part of the British Islands I have visited, from north to
south, usually retorting to fresh or brackish water when in quest of food, the lochs of the Highlands,
the lakes and reservoirs of the midland as well as the broads of the eastern cuuuties forming its favourite
resorts; to the pools in the shingle-hanks and the estuaries intersecting the mudflats in Kent and
Sussex it Is also occasionally driven In severe weather during the winter gales. The Tufted Duck has
little beyond the handsome plumage of the drake when hi full winter dress to recommend ¡1, as for the
table this s[ ies, whether old or young, is rank and unpalatable.
While staying for the punt-gunning at Tain, on the shores of the Dornoch Jb'irtli, in the winters of
1«GS and 1B0B, I remarked that the flocks of Tufted Ducks took their departure about the end of March
from Lochs Shin and Slyu as well its the other large pieces of fresh water on which they were usuully to
be found after the beginning of November,
1'larly IN November 1871 these birds, for the most part in immature plumage, were exceedingly
numerous on Iliekliug Broad and lleigbam Sounds in the ea-1 of Norfolk. Not needing any, unless
fine old drakes as specimens, I had refrained from molesting them, till at length about half a dozen
that happened to be intermixed with Pochards and Coots were stopped by a shot with the punt-gun ou
the Sounds. While collecting the cripples a mishap occurred which, though merely causim; slight damage
to the punt, might have been attended by serious consequence*. Having fired the big gun, I sculled up
to collect the slain, and on arriving wilhin range of several lively- cripples, a 12-borc brere11-loader Has
made use of and speedily put a stop to all attempts to escape. The whole, with the exception of one or
two that dived off towards the reed-beds, having been accounted for, the shoulder-gun was recharged and laid
down so as to he within reach of the right baud while working the craft. My attention was then turned
to collect those floating around; while picking up three or four drifted together under the bows of the
punt, the retriever {until now curled up under the stern deck) drew up, and by some means, probably
through her stepping on the triggers, one barrel of the ll'-hore was discharged, the shot passing under iny
ann as 1 knelt MI the bottom hoards, and blowing a ruuud hole iu the side of the punt. As I had left
my station at the butt of the gun and crawled up to the beam of the lore deck in order to reach the
birds, then- was little lilame to he attached to the poor old creature \ who doubtless, imagined she was
merarjf doing her duty in following my movements. Since this occurrence I have, however, never taken
a dog nlloat iu a gunning-punt when working up to fowl, and fully intend to follow the same rule for
the Future. While on Hick ling Broad on the 7th of November, 1871, I sighted a drake iu handsome
plumage in I many with half a dozen immature, birds. Ueing anxious to secure the adult male, the
punt-gun was Bred, and the whole party turned over, apparently dead, to the shot. On Hearing the spot.