108 AYTHYA FERINA. 



growing around the banks. Nay, on several occasions, T 

 have found pretty large acorns and beech-nuts in their throats, 

 as well as snails, entire or broken, and fragments of the shells 

 of various small unios, together with much gravel." 



When caught, it soon becomes reconciled to confinement, 

 and readily feeds on grain and other vegetable substances. 

 Its flesh is moderately good, probably not inferior to that of 

 the Canvas-back, which very closely resembles it in colour, 

 but is of still more marine habits during the cold season. 



This species has been found breeding at Scoulton-mere in 

 Norfolk, but not elsewhere in any part of Britain. Mr. 

 Hewitson states that a few remain to breed in Holland. In 

 more northern European countries, however, it has not, appa- 

 rently, been traced to its haunts ; but its appearance in 

 Britain in the end of autumn, its remaining there all winter, 

 and its departing in spring, indicate its northward migration 

 at the latter season, notwithstanding its occurrence in nor- 

 thern Africa, Egypt, and India. In Orkney, " flocks often 

 appear in September, and usually remain till the end of 

 March. They abound on the Loch of Skaill, and various 

 other sheets of fresh water. In 1831, one was shot in Sanday 

 so late as the 28th of June ; it seemed, however, to be a soli- 

 tary bird." — Nat. Hist, of Orkney, p. 79. It also occurs in 

 Shetland as a winter visitant, but is not known to breed 

 there. In'Ireland it " is a regular winter visitant, but varies 

 much in numbers in different years." M. Temminck says it 

 is rather abundant in Russia, Denmark, and even the north 

 of Germany. All that is stated as to its breeding is, that it 

 nestles in marshy places, and lays ten or twelve greenish- 

 white or yellowish-white eggs, about two inches in length. 



Young.— The young males, when fledged, resemble the 

 female. 



Progress toward Maturity. — According to M.' Tem- 

 minck, the young males of one or two years have the red of 

 the head and neck less bright ; the black of the breast gene- 

 rally brownish, often even tinted with pale brown ; and the 

 back and sides sometimes marked with spots. 



