226 RAMBLES OF A NATURALIST. 



May, but there were some at Birket-El-Kairoun (the 

 Faioum) in June. 



191. Wild Duck, Anas boschas, Linn.; "Kodari." 



Previous writers state that the Wild Duck is everywhere 

 plentiful. On the contrary, we found it so scarce that we 

 only shot one all the time we were in Egypt. It is just 

 another instance of the variableness of Egyptian Orni- 

 thology — a variableness which has in it a promise of new 

 facts for new observers. Hasselquist informs us that they 

 appear "on the tables" about the beginning of November. 



■^192. Marbled Duck, Anas angustirostris 

 (Menetr.) ; " Miniet." 



When Captain Shelley published his " Birds of Egypt," 

 this species was unknown to him as occurring in the country. 

 It was therefore with no little surprise that we found it to 

 be quite common on Birket-El-Kairoun (the Faioum) in 

 June. We are however forestalled in the discovery by 

 Canon Tristram, who it appears, some time ago, when out in 

 the neighbourhood of the marshes near Alexandria, bought 

 one, fresh and bleeding, of an Arab. It was certainly the 

 most plentiful Duck at the lake. I saw most the day I 

 went over to the north side. On the sand by the brink of 

 a neighbouring pond, there were both single birds and small 

 flocks. On the lake I saw it in couples near the shore or 

 near an island, but I never saw it far out upon the water, or at 

 a distance from the reedbeds. The specimens shot were all 

 drakes. No eggs were found : I think it very likely that 

 the ducks were sitting. 



