in the late Count Ninni's Collection. 69 



5. FuLiGULA RUFiNA. (Venetian name " Ciosso turco.") 

 The Red-crested Pochard is a rare bird which appears in 



Venetia in November and in the mouths of March and April. 

 It frequents large spaces of water in the lagoons and sea. 

 Some are killed every year. I have three in my collection, 

 and every Venetian museum has specimens obtained in these 

 regions. Even while I am writing (April), I have heard of 

 a specimen having been lately caught in the estuary. It 

 has been stuffed by G. Minotto, who was my informant, and 

 is now in the possession of Mr. G. Voltolina at Chioggia. 



6. FuLiGULA MARiLA. (Venetian names " Magasso de la 

 schena zenai'ina," " Moreton.'') 



The Scaup is neither common nor very rare ; it appears at 

 the time of migration and in winter. I have killed several 

 individuals, and have some twenty specimens in my col- 

 lection. It frequents large expanses of water, and prefers 

 the deep places where seaweeds abound. It lives in flocks 

 along with the Common Pochard and Tufted Duck. 



7. FuLiGULA FERiNA. (Venetian name " Magasson,'" 

 " Magasson dal fero," " Magasson monaro.''') 



The Common Pochard is more abundant than the Tufted 

 Duck in this country; it appears towards the 15th of Sep- 

 tember, but I have killed specimens in August. The birds 

 that remain with us during the winter depart in February, at 

 which time immigrants arrive; the latter occasionally defer 

 their departure from onr waters till April. Sometimes the 

 Venetian lagoons are frequented by immense quantities of 

 Pochards. They live in flocks on the large and deep ex- 

 panses of water where seaweeds and vegetation of all kinds 

 abound. The cold and ice do not affect them, but they leave 

 us as soon as the warm weather comes on. Like other 

 Ducks, they are an object of active and profitable pursuit, 

 but their flesh is not delicate. This species does not breed 

 with us. 



8. CEdemia fusca. (Venetian name '' Oreo marin.") 

 The Velvet Scoter, as Count Ninni says ^, is certainly less 



* Atti R. 1st. Ven. ser. 6, t. iii. p. 223 (1885). 



