The Sheld-Ducks. 99 



pair keep very strictly to themselves ; 

 and probably such a bond is formed for 

 life. During the breeding-season the 

 males very often fight, and attack even 

 Drakes of other species of Ducks. They 

 build in holes or clefts in the ground, 

 and sometimes even in the fireplaces of 

 villages deserted by the Mongols ; and in 

 the latter places the female birds, while 

 hatching, get almost quite black with soot. 

 The male apparently does not assist the 

 female in hatching ; but as soon as the 

 young are hatched, it most vigilantly 

 watches them." 



The eggs are creamy white, very smooth, 

 and with a considerable amount of gloss. 

 They are almost a perfect ellipse in shape. 

 They measure 27 by 1*9. 



The adult male has the head buff, the 

 front portion paler and frequently whitish. 

 The whole neck, the mantle, the back, 

 the sides of the breast and the whole 

 lower plumage are chestnut, the abdomen 

 tinged with vinous. The axillaries and 

 the under wing-coverts are white. The 

 uppermost scapulars are chestnut, the 

 concealed lower feathers white or ashy. 

 The lower back is buff, vermiculated with 

 black. The rump, the upper tail-coverts, 

 and the tail are black. The wing-coverts 



