MARMAROXETTA ANGUS! IROSTRIS. 223 



and is in consequence very difficult to shoot by day without the 

 aid of a stalking-horse. These Ducks mostly depart during 

 March, some lingering on later into the month of April, the 

 latest that I myself observed being on the uth of that month. 



Tail graduated, of sixteen feathers, two centre feathers much elongated 

 in male, slightly so in female ; wing-spot dark green, glossed with copper ; 

 bill as long as head. 



Male. Head, cheeks, chin, sides of neck, and upper neck in front rich 

 dark brown ; two centre tail-feathers black. 



Female. Brown above, greyish white below. Length 24-28 inches. 



241. Marmaronetta ang-ustirostris (Menetries). The Marbled 

 Duck. 



Moorish. Ashab (grey), Bourk el biad, (white duck) (D. Hay). 

 Andaludan. Ruhilla, Pardilla. 



This Duck, on both sides of the Straits, -appears in spring, to 

 remain only for the breeding-season, and is exceedingly abundant 

 in Morocco, where, at the lakes of Ras el Doura in April 1871, 

 we saw flocks numbering many hundreds ; and they are frequently 

 seen exposed for sale in Tangier market. 



Favier states that they arrive during March and April,- 

 departing in October, and that after the Common Teal they rank 

 as the most common Duck in the country. 



On the Spanish side I heard of three being seen at the end of 

 February, and saw six or seven myself on the 23rd of March ; 

 but the majority do not appear until late in April, though I have 

 noticed them passing near Gibraltar early in that month. As a 

 rule, they mostly leave by the end of September ; but of course 

 stragglers remain later. 



The Marbled Duck breeds during the last week in May, 

 nesting in patches of rushes. The nest is like that of a Teal, 

 containing a good deal of the down from the breast of the female ; 

 and eleven eggs appear to be the usual complement. The latter 

 much resemble those of the Common Teal, being of a yellowish- 

 white colour. Favier states that they also nest in rushes during 



