236 Appe?tdzx. 



The nest is made of any coarse water herbage which is suitable and 

 at the same time accessible. It is large, and raised some inches 

 above the surface of the supporting soil. The eggs are believed to 

 be from three or four to seven in number, and are usually of a pale 

 brownish white colour, extending to about 4 inches long by 2£ 

 broad. 



;?7^' PINTAIL. 



This Duck breeds in Iceland, and commonly in Lapland and some 

 of the districts about the Gulf of Bothnia. It builds, like most 

 others of its kind, among the thick herbage commonly growing near 

 the edge of pieces of fresh water ; the nest being made of the same, 

 but dry, and lined with down. The eggs are six to eight or nine in 

 number, and are of a light greenish-white colour, and about the same 

 size as those of the Wild Duck proper. 



,^ ^ ' VELVET SCOTER. 



This Sea Duck is found in Russia, Norway, the Faroe Islands, and 

 also in Iceland. Mr. Audubon's account of its nest and eggs is as 

 follows : — " The nests are placed within a few feet of the borders of 

 small lakes, a mile or two from the sea, and usually under the low 

 boughs of the bushes, of the twigs of which, with mosses and vari- 

 ous plants matted together, they are formed. They are large and 

 almost flat, several inches thick, with some feathers of the female, 

 but no down, under the eggs, which are usually six in number, 

 2| inches in length, by 1| in breadth, of an uniform pale cream 

 colour, tinged with green." 



>^ ^ ' ■ COMMON SCOTER. 



It breeds, but not very numerously, in Iceland ; but is seen nest- 



