The Grey Ducks. 165 



rather a tender skin. They seem to 

 average about 15 oz. in weight." 



A single egg of this species was taken 

 by Captain Wimberley in August. The 

 nest was composed of grass and was 

 placed in a paddy field. The egg is 

 described as being a broad oval in shape, 

 with a smooth shell, devoid of gloss, and 

 of a delicate cream colour. It measured 

 1-93 by 1-43- 



The forehead and crown are dark- 

 brown, becoming paler and greyish-brown 

 on the hindneck. The whole lower, and 

 the edge of the upper, eyelid are covered 

 with small white feathers. The sides of 

 the head are mottled with dark-brown and 

 fulvous. The chin, the throat, and the 

 foreneck are white ; the cheeks, the lower 

 part of the sides of the head and also the 

 sides of the neck are dull white, mottled 

 with fulvous. The mantle, the back, the 

 scapulars, and the upper tail-coverts are 

 brown, each feather with a narrow rufous 

 margin. The feathers of the rump are 

 dark-brown, with hardly a trace of paler 

 margins. The tail is plain brown. All 

 the small upper wing-coverts are dark- 

 brown ; the greater coverts white, with a 

 buff tinge, forming a conspicuous patch 

 or bar above the speculum. The primaries 



