The True Ducks. 197 



and is lined with dead grass and leaves, 

 to which is afterwards added plenty of 

 down. The number of eggs varies from 

 eight to twelve, or sometimes fourteen. . . . 



" Like the Teal, the Garganey does 

 not sit so long upon its eggs as most 

 Ducks do, incubation only lasting from 

 twenty-one to twenty-two days. As is 

 the case with most Ducks, the male is 

 very attentive to the female until his first 

 moult begins, which is usually before 

 the eggs are hatched. The entire charge 

 of the young falls upon the mother, who 

 is deserted by her mate until he has 

 passed through his second moult and 

 acquired his nuptial plumes, late in 

 autumn." 



The eggs of the Garganey resemble 

 very closely, and, in fact, are undistin- 

 guishable from those of the Common 

 Teal. They are huffish white or cream- 

 coloured, and measure from 17 to 1-9 

 in length, and from 1*3 to 1*4 in breadth. 



The down found in the nests of the 

 two Teal differ, however, in a very re- 

 markable manner. In both cases it 

 is dark brown with pale centres, but 

 whereas in the down of the Common 

 Teal the filaments are entirely brown, 

 in that of the Garganey the tips of 



