220 ANATID.E. 



They are quite inland birds, though occasionally frequenting 

 salt lagoons, and are much more frequent on the African than on 

 the Spanish side of the Straits, where I never met with any, 

 though have seen a few in Seville market in spring and the 

 end of autumn. They breed near the mouth of the Guadalquivir, 

 and used to do so at Fuente Piedra ; also no doubt elsewhere 

 north of the Straits. They nest in holes in cliffs and rocks ; and 

 an account is given of one nest by Mr. Salvin, in ' The Ibis ' for 

 1859 (p. 362). In Morocco they are very wary; and I recollect, 

 in company with a brother officer, trying in vain to approach 

 three which we saw near Vincent's Farm, Sharf el. Akab, in 

 October : but at last they luckily pitched close to a horse feeding 

 in the marsh ; so we stalked up behind the animal to within 

 twenty-five yards of the birds, bagging all three. 



General colour rufous buff; crown light buff; wing-coverts white ; 

 wing-spot green ; bill, legs, and feet blackish. 



Sexes alike, except that the male has a blackish ring round neck. Length 

 25 inches. 



Subfamily ANATIN^I. 



237. Anas boscas, Linnaeus. The Wild Duck (Mallard, 

 male). 



Moorish. Zerak el ras (Blue head). Spanish. Pato real. 



" The Wild Duck frequents the vicinity of Tangier throughout 

 the year. Those which are not resident cross to Europe during 

 March and April, returning in November and December. Those 

 which remain to nest begin to lay during the month of February ; 

 and eggs may be occasionally found as late as the beginning of 

 June. Tame Ducks are called Bourk by the Arabs." Favier. 



The Moorish name given above is not appropriate, the head of 

 the Mallard being green. 



In Andalucia the present species is abundant in winter ; and a 

 considerable number remain for the breeding-season, hatching by 



