38 BRITISH BIRDS. 



island in a northern loch I once counted nearly one 

 hundred nests, containing from seven to fourteen eggs 

 apiece, the average number being nine (June 12th). 

 Incubation lasts twenty-three days, as proved by eggs 

 placed imder a hen. The eggs are smaller than those of 

 the Pochard, or Scaup, and slightly lighter in colour ; 

 the down is dark and compact, without conspicuously 

 light centres ; the feathers are greyish- white, and very 

 small (Plate II., Figs. 11, 11). 



ScAUP-DucK {F. marila). — On June 14th, 1899, Captain 

 Sandeman and I w^ere fortunate enough to find the 

 first authentic nest of this species in Scotland.* I believe 

 another nest was found last year in the Hebrides by a 

 competent ornithologist, who, I fancy, was satisfied with 

 the identification. We have often been blamed for not 

 procuring the female from our nest, but this course seemed 

 to me quite unnecessary, for we had watched the birds 

 (two females and a male) for days, and saw the bird both 

 going to and coming from the nest as we lay in the reeds 

 within a few yards. I had kept these birds in confine- 

 ment, and they were so well-known to me that mistaken 

 identification was impossible. The eggs are much the 

 same colour as those of the Pochard, but slightly smaller. 

 Those with which they are most likely to be confused are 

 Tufted Ducks, but they are much larger ; the down is 

 lighter, with more conspicuous Hght centres, while the 

 feathers are quite distinct, being larger, sometimes 

 shghtly speckled, especially towards the tip, and of 

 dift'erent markings (Plate II., Figs. 10, 10). 



Golden-eye {Clangula glaucion). — This bird has not 

 yet been proved to breed in the British Isles, but there is 

 some evidence of its having done so, and on August 1st, 

 1887, I shot a young bird in Scotland some considerable 

 distance inland. The eggs when first laid are of a beautiful 

 green, which unfortunately soon fades. For the loan of 

 down and feathers I am indebted to Mr. P. C. Musters, 

 who took the nest from a hole in a pine tree in Norway, 



* See "Ann. Scot. Nat. Hist.," 1899, p. 215. 



