The True Ducks. 205 



that in some of the nests, the cups of 

 which were in some cases as much as six 

 inches deep, it filled them completely to 

 the top, hiding the eggs which were inside. 

 The nests were placed in thick tufts of 

 grass, beds of sedges, or, more rarely, 

 under and amongst bushes ; they were 

 not very carefully hidden, and, but for 

 the treacherous nature of the ground in 

 which they were found, not particularly 

 hard to get. The duck is a close sitter, 

 and is assisted, at least occasionally, by 

 the drake, which is seldom found far from 

 the nest. They lay from six to nine eggs, 

 beginning to lay in the end of May, and 

 continuing through June and the early 

 part of July." 



Dybowski states that the female makes 

 her nest among the bushes in swamps, 

 collecting dry seeds and grass and lining 

 it thickly with down. At the beginning 

 of June she lays eight eggs, sits closely, 

 and only rises at your feet. 



I gather that the eggs of this species 

 are creamy white in colour, and smooth 

 in texture, and that they measure about 

 2*2 by i'6. 



The adult male has a white spot on 

 the forehead, immediately at the base of 

 the upper mandible ; the forehead and 



