190 BIRDS OP NORFOLK. 



dress " quite agrees with Professor Newton's experience 

 with pinioned examples kept by himself. 



At Mr. Stevenson's second sale, on 21st March, 1889, 

 Mr. Gunn re-purchased what Mr. Stevenson speaks 

 of in his note book as " a wonderful red wigeon," killed 

 at Bockland, on the 5th May, 1871, which he himself 

 had purchased of Mr. Gunn. The under parts are 

 a rich yellowish buff, extending from the vent to the 

 chin ; the forehead is also strongly tinged with the 

 same hue. Mr. Stevenson submitted some of the rusty 

 feathers of this bird to Mr. F. Kitton for the purpose of 

 testing them chemically ; and I find with them a note 

 from the latter stating that the ferruginous colour is 

 due to the presence of an oxide of iron, as shown by the 

 deep blue colour imparted to them when tested by ferro- 

 cyanuret of potassium. In the same envelope there are 

 also some feathers of the pintail indicating the presence 

 of iron stain in the same way.* 



Mr. Stevenson mentions a very singular looking speci- 

 men, at first believed to have been the American wigeon 

 (A. americana) in immature plumage, which was killed 

 at South Walsham in 1852, and proved to be a male 

 of the common species in a stage of plumage intermediate 

 between the male and female. In Mr. Gurney's collec- 

 tion is a very beautiful variety of the wigeon, taken at 

 Lynn, which has the ground colour of the plumage 

 white, marked and freckled with light brownish buff. 



A pinioned wigeon, belonging to Mr. Burroughes, 

 lived on a private water, at Hoveton, for eighteen years. 



SOMATERIA MOLLISSIMA (Limits). 

 EIDER DUCK. 



This species, although it occurs in small numbers 

 almost every winter, must be considered a rare bird on 

 the Norfolk coast, more especially in the adult plumage. 



* See ante, p. 78, with regard to the plumage of the mute 

 swan. 



