344. SPOLIA ZEYLANICA. 
small and dark brown with whitish centres. The eggs, 8 to 12 
in number, are smooth gray-green or stone-green, and measure 
about 2°17 by 1°48. 
NETTA RUFINA (Blanford, Vol. IV., p. 456). 
FULIGULA RUFINA (Legge, p. 1087, note). 
The Red-crested Pochard. 
Description.—Male: head, throat, and upper neck reddish- 
chestnut, paler on the crown and rufous-buff on the longish 
crest ; lower neck all round and upper breast glossy brown- 
black, which changes on the lower breast and abdomen to 
glossy brown ; the middle of the back lighter brown darkening 
to brownish-black on the rump and upper tail coverts, which 
are slightly glossed with green ; tail brown. The primaries 
are white at the base and whitish-brown outside, the tips of 
all and the outer webs of the first five quills being dark brown ; 
secondaries creamy-white, with an outer brown _ border 
narrowly edged with white ; the tertiaries and most of the _ 
wing coverts are grayish-brown ; the coverts near the edge of 
the wing and the wing lining are white, as is a large area on the 
flanks and sides of the body. Males in the off season resemble 
females, but are more richly coloured, and have a longer crest. 
Female: the upper plumage grayish-brown darkening to 
blackish-brown on the rump ; there is no white on the wing 
coverts, and the secondaries are grayish-white ; otherwise the 
wings and tail resemble those of males. The under parts are 
grayish-white. 
Bill in males vermilion-red, the nail whitish-pink ; in females 
the bill is black, becoming reddish towards the tip ; iris in 
males red-brown, in females brown ; legs and feet in males 
orange-red, in females brownish-orange. 
Length 21; wing 10°5; tail 3:5; tarsus 1:75; bill from 
gape 2°25. Females are slightly smaller. 
Distribution —A doubtful visitor to Ceylon; said to have 
been seen near Jaffna by Layard. This species is a winter 
migrant to Northern and Central India. It breeds in Northern 
Africa, Southern Europe, and in Asia from the Caspian to 
‘Turkestan. 

