162 BRITISH BIRDS' NESTS. 



tail-coverts white. Legs, toes, and webs deep 

 orange, tinged with brown ; claws black. At the 

 latter end of May the head and neck turn from 

 glossy green to dull brown, and the rusty red on 

 the breast disappears. 



The female is slightly smaller ; her head, neck, 

 and the whole of her upper-parts are of varying 

 shades of brown, with tw r o white bars on the wings. 

 Front of neck white, mottled with light reddish- 

 brown ; under-parts white. Both sexes subject to 

 variation of colour. 



Situation and Locality. On the ground, under 

 bushes, banks, projecting ledges of rock ; amongst 

 heather and brambles ; occasionally in holes in 

 trees, in rabbit-holes, holes and crevices of rocks ; 

 on small islands in lakes, on the shores of lakes, 

 generally not far from the water. In the North 

 of Scotland, Orkneys, Shetlands, Hebrides, and in 

 Ireland. Our illustration was procured in the High- 

 lands, where we met with several nests, some of 

 which had been been destroyed by Hooded Crows. 



Materials. Dead grass, roots, and rushes, in 

 scanty quantities, lined with tufts of down from 

 the bird's own body. These are light greyish- 

 brown, with pale centres and tips. Sometimes no 

 materials whatever except down are provided. 



Eggs. Six or seven to eleven or twelve, olive- 

 grey to buffish-grey, somewhat similar to those of 

 the Scaup. Size about 2-6 by 1*7 in. 



Time. End of May, June, and beginning of 

 July. 



Remarks. A winter visitor ; numbers, however, 

 stay and breed with us. Local and other names : 

 Eed-breasted Goose, Sheld Duck, and Spear Wigeon 

 (the latter two names only applied to the bird in 

 Ireland). A very close sitter. 



