136 Messrs. H. Seebohm and J. A. Harvie Brown on 



institute the comparison which appears in the following 

 table : — 



A. White down : (1) Smew, (2) Golden-eye. 



B. White-tipped down : (1) Pintail, (2) Widgeon. 



C. Large dark down, without white tips : (1) Black Scoter, 

 (2) Velvet Scoter, (3) Scaup. 



D. Small dark down, without white tips : (1) Long-tailed 

 Duck, (2) Shoveller, (3) Teal. 



A. White. 



(1) Smew. Down large, greyish white. 



(2) Golden-eye. Down scarcely to be distinguished from 

 the last, but has a slight bluish tinge ; bluish white. 



B. White-tipped. 



(1) Pintail. Down smaller, brown, with pale centres, in- 

 distinctly tipped with white. 



(2) Widgeon. Down larger, darker brown than Pintail's, 

 pale centres, long and conspicuous white tips. 



C. Large dark, without white tips. 



(1) Black Scoter. Down medium size, darker brown than 

 Pintail's, lighter than "Widgeon's, centres pale but conspicuous. 



(2) Velvet Scoter. Down larger than Black Scoter's, darker 

 than Pintail's or AVidgeon's, centres less conspicuous than 

 Black Scoter's. 



(3) Scaup. Down about same size as Velvet Scoter's, 

 but darker, centres inconspicuous. 



D. Small dark, without white tips. 



(1) Long-tailed Duck. Down small, darkish brown, with 

 pale centres. 



(2) Shoveller. Down small, darker than Long-tailed Duck's, 

 pale centres. 



(3) Teal. Down small, darker brown than either Long- 

 tailed Duck's or Shoveller's, pale centres. 



Note. The above downs were examined in bulk in a clear 

 but not too bright light, and in the absence of direct rays of 



