190 INDIAN DUCKS 



Its nest may be placed either close to water in amongst the growth 

 on the banks or shores, or it is sometimes placed a good distance from 

 it. In Scotland it is frequently found well hidden in amongst heather, 

 far from the nearest water. As a rule, it is very carefully hidden, but 

 at other times it is very conspicuous, and can be seen from a few 

 >ards away. The duck sits very close indeed, and, flying up at one's 

 feet, usually shows the whereabouts of the nest, however well it n:ay 

 be hidden. The drake would seem to take little interest in the nest 

 or eggs, and leaves the duck not only to do all the incubation, but 

 also to look after the young until they are some days old. 



The nest would appear to differ from other ducks' nests in being 

 better put together in most cases. In some nests the materials- 

 moss, leaves, grasses, and weeds — are well intermingled and inter- 

 woven with one another and with down, which not only forms the 

 lining, but is also incorporated in the body of the nest itself. 

 Frequently, on the otlicr hand, the nest is very primitive, and 

 consists of only a few of the materials mentioned, just loosely placed 

 in some hollow in the ground. 



Dresser says : — 



" The eggs are deposited late in May or early in .June, the locality 

 selected for the purpose of nidification being some times close to the 

 water's edge, and at others some distance from it ; but Mr. Colley 

 informs me that he found a nest on the foils, not far from the town 

 of Lillehammer, which was under a juniper bush, at least 800 yards 

 from the water. The nest is a mere depression or hole scratched in 

 the ground, and well lined with down and a few feathers, intermixed 

 with a little moss or a lew grass-bents. A nest which I possess 

 consists of a little moss matted together with down, the latter being 

 of a dark sooty brown colour, the centre of the down being rather 

 lighter or a dark sooty grey, and a few feathers of the bird are 

 interspersed here and there. 



" The eggs are creamy-white in colour ami oval in shajie, 

 tapering slightly towards the smaller end." 



In rather strong contrast to the above " mere depression or hole " 

 is ]Mr. Wolley's description of a Wigeon's nest : — 



" A nest is an extremely pretty sight, even when separated from 

 its native Isank, and all the accompaniments of flowers, roots, moss 

 and lichen." 



