The True Ducks. 241 



scratched out by the female, and lined 

 with a little dry grass, bits of reed or rush, 

 and, in some cases, with a few dead leaves. 

 The eggs of the Gadwall are laid in May, 

 frequently not before the end of the 

 month." 



Mr. Stevenson tells us : " I have never 

 seen the nest of a Gadwall far from the 

 water ; it is generally placed either in a 

 very boggy spot, or in a tussock of sedge, 

 by which it is raised above the shallow 

 water itself. In such situations it is con- 

 structed of dead grass or sedges, and very 

 sparingly lined with down. The usual 

 complement of eggs seems to be from ten 

 to thirteen." 



The eggs of the Gadwall appear to be 

 cream-coloured when freshly laid, but, judg- 

 ing from a number of eggs of this species 

 in the British Museum, they are often of 

 a decidedly greenish tint : whether this is 

 the original colour of some eggs, or im- 

 parted to the shell by incubation, it is 

 difficult to say. They are slightly more 

 pointed at one end than at the other, 

 but many eggs are quite elliptical. They 

 measure from 1*9 to 2 '2 in length, and 

 from i '4 to 1*55 in breadth. The down 

 is dark brown with pale centres. 



The adult male has the crown and the 



VOL. II. 1 6 



