IDENTIFICATION OF DUCKS' EGGS. 



41 



widely distributed than the last species, this bird breeds 

 commonly on many rivers and lochs in Scotland, also on 

 the sea coast in Ireland it is common, and in Orkney and 

 the Hebrides numerous. The nest is well concealed, often 

 in high heather, sometimes in dense reeds on an island, 

 often in a rabbit-hole or cleft in a peat bank, but seldom 

 far from water. The eggs, which number up to fifteen, 

 and are not laid before the end of May, are stone-coloured, 

 with just a greenish tinge, the down is dark grey (much 

 darker than that of the Goosander), and the feathers 

 (very much smaller than those of M. merganser) are quite 

 white (Plate II., Fig. 18). 



Explanation of Plate II. 



