FERHUGINOUS DUCK. 239 



to be excellent. Mr. Bullock obtained specimens in the 

 London market ; and I have seen examples of all ages that 

 were procured in the London market ; these are generally re- 

 ceived from the eastern counties, between the Thames and 

 the Humber, but two were killed near Oxford, in the winter 

 of 1882, and another pair also during the last winter, for a 

 notice of which I am indebted to W. Borrer, Esq. Jun. 



This species is occasionally sent to London alive from 

 Holland, where it is sometimes caught in decoys. M. Vicillot 

 says it is a rare bird in France, and only seen in winter. It 

 has been taken in Switzerland, Provence, and Italy ; and is 

 stated to go as far south as North Africa and Egypt. It is 

 the Sarcelle (V Egypt of BufFon. 



The Ferruginous Duck is recorded to have been taken in 

 Persia; and Mr. Gould has received specimens from the 

 Himalaya Mountains, as well as other parts of India. 



It appears to be a resident in the North of Germany from 

 October to March. Dr. Latham says it inhabits Russia, and 

 is frequent about the Don. It was formerly said to have 

 been found in the rivers of Sweden ; and Pennant, in his 

 Arctic Zoology, mentions having had a specimen sent him 

 from Denmark ; but this species is not included by Professor 

 Nilsson at the present time either in his Ornithology of 

 Sweden, or in his Fauna of Scandinavia. It is, however, 

 included among the Birds of Iceland, by F. Faber, who 

 published in 1822. According to M. Temminck, this Duck 

 feeds on insects, small frogs, aquatic plants, and their seeds ; 

 and makes its nest near rivers and marshes, laying nine or ten 

 white eggs, slightly tinged with green. The egg^ as figured 

 by Thienemann, measures two inches and one eighth in 

 length, by one inch and a half in breadth. 



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

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

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



