WHITE-HEADED DUCK— LITTLE GULL — REPTILES 101 



White-Headed Another species whose habitat centres in the Caspian province is 



Duck. the white-headed duck (Erismatura leucocephala), which belongs to the 

 group distinguished by having from sixteen to twenty-four stiff narrow feathers in the 

 tail. This duck is easily recognisable by its white head, in which the centre of the 

 crown, like the back of the neck, is black, by the small wings, long graduated tail, 

 rusty and yellowish brown general colouring, and the large nail to its bluish beak. 

 When swimming, this species spreads out its tail like a fan, and carries it almost 

 vertically. It is about 17 inches long, and ranges from the Caspian to Siberia in 

 the north, Mongolia in the east, and through southern Russia to Transylvania and 

 Hungary in the west. It appears occasionally on the Rhine, the Lake of 

 Constance, and the adjoining countries down to the shores of the Mediterranean. 

 In Transylvania it arrives as a regular breeding-bird in the middle of May in 

 small flocks which split up into pairs. Soon afterwards the females seem to 

 disappear owing to their being occupied on their nests, while the males are left to 

 associate by themselves. The nest is a floating one fastened on all sides to stems of 

 reeds and other water plants, and contains at the proper season eight or nine greenish 

 white eggs. This duck feeds on water-insects, small fishes, molluscs, and aquatic 

 plants, and gets its food by diving, in which it excels all other species. 



The little gull (Larus minutus) is found on the shores of the 



Little Gull 



North Sea and the Baltic. It is found breeding on Lake Ladoga, but 

 is more numerous in warmer countries, and is principally at home on the Caspian 

 at the mouth of the Volga, being less frequent on the Black Sea, though in winter 

 and spring it often visits the shores of the Mediterranean. This gull swims less 

 than others of its kind, and is much more constantly on the wing, its food consist- 

 ing of water-insects, small molluscs, and fishes. It has a shrill call. In size it is 

 hardly equal to a tern. As regards coloration, its distinctive points are the black 

 head, the greyish black under surface of the wings, and the red beak and legs. 



Among the reptiles of this area, the Caspian terrapin {Clemmys 



caspica) is the most remarkable. Living in slow and stagnant 

 waters, it ranges down to the Persian Gulf and through southern Russia and the 

 Balkan Peninsula to Dalmatia. It is from 8 to 10 inches in length, and yellowish 

 green or olive in general colour, marked with orange-yellow edged with black, the 

 black under surface showing yellow spots, and the neck and legs 3-ellow stripes. 



Two lizards of the agamoid group inhabit the Caspian and south Russian 

 steppes, one of these, the Caspian agama {Agama sanguinolenta), being about 16 

 inches in length, and brownish grey in colour above, marked with four rows of 

 large black spots, and plain pale yellow below. Associated with this species is 

 often found the eared lizard (Phrynocephalus mystaceus), which lives principally 

 on the rivers Kuma and Terek discharging into the Caspian Sea; and like 

 all its kindred, is distinguished by the rounded, almost toad-like head, the long 

 slender legs, and toes serrated at the edges. The eared lizard, which has a 

 total length of about 17 inches, shows at each corner of its mouth a patch of 

 skin covered with thin scales, which when the animal is under the influence of 

 excitement becomes either red or blue, and thus stands out conspicuously from the 

 dull yellow or brownish grey w T ith numerous black spots of the upper surface, as 

 well as from the uniform w T hitish yellow under surface. 



