1 6 Allen's naturalist's library. 



is the most usual full clutch, but I have found ten, twelve, 

 fifteen, and even twenty eggs in a nest. The last-mentioned 

 was, I believe, the produce of two females." The colour varies 

 from drab-brown or stone-colour to greenish-brown. Axis, 

 2'2-2*4 inches ; diam., i-6-i"j. 



Down. — Very small, and dark chocolate-brown, with a scarcely 

 perceptible whitish centre, the filamental tips being also brown. 



II. THE SCAUP DUCK. FULIGULA MARILA. 



J;ias marila, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 196 (1766). 



Fidigula marila, Macg. Br. B. v. p. 116 (1852) ; Dresser, B. Eur. 

 vi. p. 565, pi. 436 (1878) ; B. O. U. List Br. B. p. 129 

 (1883); Seebohm, Br. B. iii. p. 579 (1885) ; Saunders, ed. 

 Yarn Br. B. iv. p. 423 (1885); id. Man. Br. B. p. 437 

 (1889); Lilford, Col. Fig. Br. B. part xv. (1890) ; Salvad. 

 Cat. B. Brit. Mus. xxvii. p. 356 (1895). 

 {PlafeLIX.) 



Adult Male. — Back light grey or white, pencilled with blackish 

 vermiculations, less continuous on the upper scapulars, which 

 in consequence look whiter than the rest of the back ; the 

 lower back black with a few whitish vermiculations ; rump 

 and upper tail-coverts black, with a large white patch on both 

 sides ; tail sooty-brown ; wing-coverts black, finely pencilled 

 with greyish or white vermiculations, which are less plentiful 

 on the greater series and only appear at the ends of the latter ; 

 bastard-wing and primary-coverts dusky-blackish, the primaries 

 dull ashy externally, and blackish at the end of the inner webs, 

 which are for the rest drab-brown, forming a distinct " mirror " ; 

 the secondaries white with a broad black band at the end, the 

 innermost black, glossed with oily-green ; head, sides of face, 

 and throat glossy dark green, changing to purple, according 

 to the light in which the bird is held ; hind-neck and upper 

 mantle, sides of neck, fore-neck, and chest black with a bronzy 

 gloss ; the rest of the under surface of body white, from the 

 chest downwards, with a few blackish vermiculations near the 

 black chest-patch, and again on the lower abdomen ; vent and 

 under tail-coverts black ; sides of body, under wing-coverts, 

 and axillaries pure white, the outer coverts dusky, freckled with 

 grey, the lower primary-coverts pale ashy like the quill-lining ; 



