216 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. XI11, 
The eggs are said by various writers to number from six to twelve, 
though the bird will continue to lay on being robbed, and in such cases 
will lay over a score of eggs. 
Yarrell describes the eggs as being of a ‘“‘ uniform buff-coloured white, 
measuring two inches-and-a-half in length by one inch and eight 
lines in breadth. Six or seven young are considered a large brood ; the 
careful mother has been seen . . . . to carry some of her 
offsprings . . . . on her back when in the water.’ Dresser says 
that the eggs are, or are said to be by his correspondents, ‘‘ warm, 
” and “ rich cream or creamy white, very smooth in 
yellowish-white 
‘texture of shell, and insize average about 226 by 132. The down in 
which they are deposited is greyish-white.”’ 
Hume writes: “ The eggs are said to vary in number from seven to 
twelve. They are broad, regular ovals, with very fine, smooth, satiny 
shells of a uniform buffy-white or creamy-yellow. They vary from 
2°5" to 2°9" in length and from 1:66" to 1:9" in breadth, but the average 
of eleven is 2:7" by 1°8" nearly. 
I have only two eggs of this species in my collection which were. 
taken in Lapland on the 20th April, 1886. This seems to be about 
the normal time for them to commence to lay, but as these two egos 
were considerably incubated they had probably been laid early in the 
month, They are found well on into June. 
My two eggs are rather long, very regular ovals, though in both 
there is an appreciable difference between the two ends. The texture 
is extremely smooth and close and has the satiny feel to the touch 
that some passerine birds’ eges have. 
{he colour isa very pale dull buff, with a decided gloss. They 
measure 2°75" % 1°82" and 2°62" x 1°72", 
I had nearly forgotten to quote Humes’ note about this birds’ man- 
ner of progression ; he says: “ On land one only sees them resting 
on the water’s edge, and when disturbed, they shuffle on their breasts 
into the river. I do not think that they can walk at all. Anyhow, 
T have always seen them just half glide, half wriggle, breast foremost, 
and I think touching the rocks, into the water.’ Now this may 
have been due to Hume having only seen the birds on the very edge 
of the water, and even tame ducks when close to the water and on a 
shelving bank or stone often seem to wriggle and glide into the water, 
