1 6 ALLEN'S NATURALIST'S LIBRARY. 



is the most usual full clutch, but I have found ten, twelve, 

 fifteen, and even twenty eggs in a nest. The last-mentioned 

 was, I believe, the produce of two females." The colour varies 

 from drab-brown or stone-colour to greenish-brown. Axis, 

 2*2-2*4 inches ; diam., i'6-i*7. 



Down. Very small, and dark chocolate-brown, with a scarcely 

 perceptible whitish centre, the filamental tips being also brown. 



II. THE SCAUP DUCK. FULIGULA MARILA. 



Anas marila, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 196 (1766). 

 Fuligula inarila, Macg. Br. B. v. p. 1 16 (1852) ; Dresser, B. Eur. 

 \ri. p. 565, pi. 436 (1878); B. O. U. List Br. B. p. 129 



(1883); Seebohm, Br. B. iii. p. 579 (1885); Saunders, ed. 



Yarr. Br. B. iv. p. 423 (1885); id. Man. Br. B. p. 437 



(1889); Lilford, Col. Fig. Br. B. part xv. (1890); Salvad. 



Cat. B. Brit. Mus. xxvii. p. 356 (1895). 



(Plate LIX.} 



Adult Male. Back light grey or white, pencilled with blackish 

 vermiculations, less continuous on the upper scapulars, which 

 in consequence look whiter than the rest of the back ; the 

 lower back black with a few whitish vermiculations ; rump 

 and upper tail-coverts black, with a large white patch on both 

 sides ; tail sooty-brown ; wing-coverts black, finely pencilled 

 with greyish or white vermiculations, which are less plentiful 

 on the greater series and only appear at the ends of the latter ; 

 bastard-wing and primary-coverts dusky-blackish, the primaries 

 dull ashy externally, and blackish at the end of the inner webs, 

 which are for the rest drab-brown, forming a distinct " mirror " ; 

 the secondaries white with a broad black band at the end, the 

 innermost black, glossed with oily-green ; head, sides of face, 

 and throat glossy dark green, changing to purple, according 

 to the light in which the bird is held ; hind-neck and upper 

 mantle, sides of neck, fore-neck, and chest black with a bronzy 

 gloss ; the rest of the under surface of body white, from the 

 chest downwards, with a few blackish vermiculations near the 

 black chest-patch, and again on the lower abdomen ; vent and 

 under tail-coverts black ; sides of body, under wing-coverts, 

 and axillaries pure white, the outer coverts dusky, freckled with 

 grey, the lower primary-coverts pale ashy like the quill-lining; 



