FETCH OR A 405 



a resume of the conclusions arrived at and the comparisons 

 made. 



We have over 400 Ducks' eggs of 10 species, every set 

 of eggs accompanied by down, and in certain cases by the 

 birds shot from the nests. 



Firstly, in our examination of downs it is of great im- 

 portance to have a good light without direct sun-rays in 

 fact, an artist's light. 



We have to the best of our power formed an arti- 

 ficial table classifying the downs of these ten species as 

 follows : 



1. Smew. 

 Goldeneye. 



B. White-tipped downs \ ^ 



C. Large dark downs (1 - Black Scoter ' 



without white tips 



D. Small dark downs fa ^ on g-, t , ailed Duck ' 



without white tips 1 o 



A. White downs -j ~ 



DESCRIPTION OF DUCKS' DOWNS AND EGGS. 



A 1. Smew. Down large, grey- white. 



Eggs about 2 inches long, pale cream colour. 

 A 2. Goldeneye. Down scarcely to be distinguished from 

 the last, but has a slight blue tinge blue-grey- 

 white. 



Eggs about 2J inches long, bluish-grey or greenish- 

 grey. 



B 



B 1. Pintail. Down medium-sized, brown with pale 

 centre, indistinctly tipped with white. 



Eggs about 2 inches long, greenish-brown. 

 VOL. ii. 28 



