208 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol, XIII. 
colour, and measure from 1:6" to 2°05" in length and 1:42" to 1:52" in 
length.” 
“ The Smew generally breeds in the month of July, and lays seven 
or eight eggs, which are placed in a hollow of a tree or in one of the 
boxes hung up by the villagers for the use of the Golden-eye.” 
Morris in “ British Birds ”’ says :—“‘ The nest of the Smew is made 
of dry grass, and lined with the down of the bird itself. It is placed 
on the ground, upon the banks of lakes and rivers, not far from the 
water, or in a hollow in a tree. 
“ The eggs are said to be eight or ten, or from that to fourteen in 
number, and of a yellowish white colour.” 
The eggs, as shown by him in the plate, is a bright deep buff. 
The only egg of this species in my collection I owe, as I do most 
of my rarer ducks’ eggs, to the generosity of Herr Kuschel. 
In general description my egg agrees very well with those obtained 
by Seebohm and described by Oates. It is much stained, but where 
the original colour shews it is an extremely pale, rather clear cream. It 
measures 1°95" by 1:47", and was taken in Finland on the 6th of 
June, 1895. It appears tome to have been considerably incubated at 
the time it was taken, so they must, sometimes at least, breed long before 
duly, which is the month in which the greater number are said to 
breed. 
Genus MERGANSER. 
The differences. between Merganser and Mergus have already been 
defined, and there is no other genus found, or likely to be found, in 
India with which it can possibly be associated. 
According to Salvadori, there are seven species in the genus, but he 
divides Merganser castor into two species, the Indian form, which he 
designates Verganser comatus and distinguishes as being “ Somewhat 
smaller, the feathers of the crest thinner, narrower and longer; the 
bill usually shorter; the male has the black edges of the tertials 
broader, the lower back and rump paler grey and usually much freckled 
with white.’ As regards these differences, both forms vary znter se 
inevery respect, and i cannot understand how they can be made 
specific so, in this case, I have suppressed Merganser comatus, and think 
our birds should be known as castor together with the European 
form, 
