FERRUGINOUS DUCK. 421 



posed of dry water-plants, flags, &c., lined with thick 

 brownish-white down, and a few white feathers. The eggs, 

 seven to twelve in number, are of a pale buff-colour with 

 a faint evanescent greenish tinge ; average measurements 

 2-1 by 1-5 in. 



The food of the Ferruginous Duck consists principally of 

 vegetable matter, varied with insects and their larvae, small 

 mollusks, crustaceans, &c. ; and the fitness of this Duck for 

 the table appears to depend greatly upon the previous diet. 

 Col. Irby, Prof. Taczanowski, and others, consider it a very 

 good bird ; but Mr. Hume's experience is the reverse. In 

 its diving powers, this species can hardly be surpassed ; but 

 it rises heavily, and is not remarkably rapid when on the 

 wing, at which time it has a very dark appearance, and by 

 this and its white wing-bar it may easily be recognized. 

 The note is a harsh kiiT, here, kirr. In captivity Mr. J. H. 

 Gurney has known a bird to live for fifteen years. 



In the adult male the bill is bluish-black ; the irides 

 white (whence the name of White-eyed Duck) ; the whole 

 of the head, the neck all round to the upper part of the 

 breast and the sides, rich chestnut-brown ; round the middle 

 of the neck a narrow brownish ring ; the whole of the back 

 and wing-coverts umber-brown, with a tinge of green ; 

 primary quill- feathers dusky-black, part of the inner webs 

 white ; the secondaries white, forming a bar of that colour 

 on the wing, but the extreme ends are black ; tail-feathers 

 brownish-black ; on the chin a small triangular spot of 

 white ; lower part of the breast and the belly Avhite ; the 

 flanks brown ; vent greyish-brown ; under tail-coverts white ; 

 legs and toes bluish- black, the membranes darker. The 

 Avhole length is sixteen inches ; the wing, from the carpal 

 joint seven inches and three-quarters. The first quill-fcather 

 the longest in the wing. 



In the female the irides are not so white ; the whole head 

 and neck deep reddish-brown, darker in tint, but not so rich 

 in appearance as the same parts in the male ; wings like 

 those of the male ; lower breast and belly usually dingy-white, 

 but sometimes as white as in the male ; rather smaller size. 



