AN ATI D^.. 



445 



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THE FERRUGINOUS DUCK. 



FuLiGULA NYROCA (Giildenstadt). 



This species — also called the White-eyed Duck, from the colour 

 of its irides — is an irregular visitor to England, principally in winter 

 and spring. More than twenty examples have been obtained in 

 Norfolk, a few in Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Yorkshire, and along the 

 Trent valley up to Nottinghamshire ; Northumberland and Lanca- 

 shire being each credited with one. Those exposed for sale in the 

 London markets are open to the suspicion of having been brought 

 from Holland (whence live birds are also sometimes sent) ; but 

 four have been killed near Oxford, one in Dorset, and two in 

 Devon ; while a remarkably tame bird was observed on a pond in 

 Radnorshire during the latter part of 1858 and up to March 1859. 

 In Scotland this Duck has been obtained once (perhaps twice) in 

 the Firth of Forth in winter, and two were killed on the Tay early 

 in 1 85 7 (W. Evans). In Ireland six occurrences have been noted, 

 from January to March inclusive (Ussher). 



The Ferruginous Duck is not known to breed to the north of 

 Holland, Schleswig - Holstein, East Prussia, or Moscow, but in 

 Poland, Hungary, and Slavonia it is very abundant from April to 

 autumn ; on passage it visits the lakes of the Upper Engadine ; and 

 it is a resident of general distribution in the southern portions of 

 Europe, from Spain to the Volga. It visits the Canaries, nests in 



