iJ5G JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. XII. 



Tlie nost is a large unshapely mass of veoetalile stv.ft', nislies, weeds 

 and sucli-like lumped together in a mass, with a depression in the centre 

 containing a little down. 



\n Finland Dresser found the nests placed under bushes or in tufts 

 of grass, and often at some distance fi'om the water. 



Legge's note on the nesting of this Teal is so complete yet short that 

 I reproduce it. He writes : " This species breeds in May and June, 

 resorting to extensive marshes, heaths near water and largo peat bogs. 

 The nest is made on the ground among grass or rushes, or in thick 

 heather, in which latter case it is placed sometimes in the nnddle of a 

 clump. The nest is made of dead flags, rushes, grass, reeds, etc., w ith 

 a capacious interior, which is amply lined with down plucked from the 

 binl's breast. The number of eggs varies from eight to fourteen, and 

 occasionally as many as twenty have been found in a nest ; they 

 are small for the size of the bird, oval, but slightly more obtuse at one 

 end than the other, of a uniform creamy white or pale butf. There is 

 a greenish variety sometimes found, very like a Pintail's egg. A series 

 before me from Petchora, taken by Mr. Seebohm, varies in length 

 from 1-58" to 1-7" and in breadth from MG" to 1-27". The old 

 birds are said to manifest great affection for their }oung. Macgillivray 

 relates an instance of his finding a brood of young with their mother 

 on a road ; and when he took them up to put them to a pond close by, 

 whither he thought the old bird was leading them, she followed him, 

 fluttering round within reach of his whip." 



" The ' nest-down ' is dark brown, M'ith pale whitish centres, but 

 no pale tippings." 



It is said to be a resident in i^^gypt according to Capt. Shelly, and 

 on Heuglin, and to be very plentiful there. 



I have two clutches of eggs which seem to average a great 

 deal larger than most. The two clutches, twelve eggs, average 

 1-76"X 1-31", the longest being 1-83" and the broadest 1-32". In 

 sha])e they are broad ovals, very regular, yet all perceptibly smaller 

 one end than at the other. A few eggs are rather longer comparatively, 

 and these generally have the smaller end rather more compressed. The 

 texture is fine, close and smooth, and in some cases has a faint glois. 

 All my eggs are a pale buff, and sary hardly at all in depth of 

 colouring, 



