THE SWIMMERS. 167 



nest itself is constructed of coarse sticks, stalks, and leaves, loosely heaped together, and lined with 

 down plucked from the body of the female. The eight or ten eggs constituting a brood are elongated, 

 smooth, and shining, and of a reddish yellow colour. The young remain in their native lakes until 

 fully able to fly, and do not betake themselves to the sea till the end of October. 



The FEN BUCKS (Aythya) are handsome, strongly-built birds, with moderately long beaks, 

 which are not dilated at the base ; short, broad-soled feet ; moderately long, pointed wings, and 

 smooth plumage. 



The range of the members of this group extends from the Arctic Circle to the tropics. They do 

 not inhabit very high latitudes, and only visit the south during their migrations. They may, 

 therefore, be considered as properly belonging to the temperate zone. During the winter months 

 they are to be met with in Southern Russia and the low countries bordering on the Danube, also in 

 Greece, South Italy, Spain, and throughout the north of Africa. These birds make their migrations 

 by night, great numbers of them flying together in large flocks, generally without any regular order, 

 but sometimes arranged in converging oblique lines. In the spring they are usually seen in pairs or 

 in small parties. During the summer they visit lakes of fresh water, large ponds, morasses, or fens 

 having a considerable surface of water of sufficient depth, sometimes resorting to smaller ponds which 

 may happen to be in the neighbourhood. As regards their locomotive powers, these Ducks are 

 decidedly the best endowed of their family — they can walk tolerably well, but, being very 

 unwieldy, they do not willingly come upon dry land, and then only to repose upon some sandbank, 

 or beat up any masses of reeds that may be lying on the margin of the pond. When swimming 

 their body is not so deeply immersed as is that of some of their congeners ; they cut through the 

 waves, however, with the same rapidity, and dive as quickly as any of their neighbours. Their flight 

 is hasty and performed by frequent strokes of their wings, that make a perceptible rushing sound, 

 but do not propel them very quickly through the air ; nevertheless, they do not seem to become 

 fatigued so quickly as might be expected. 



During the summer time the Fen Ducks live almost entirely on vegetable substances ; bulbous 

 roots, buds, and tender shoots of trees, succulent leaves, blossoms and seeds of water-plants, constitute 

 the staple of their diet ; they will, however, likewise catch aquatic insects, fishes, and pond mollusca ; 

 in fact, they seem to like variety. During their migrations they appear more partial to animal food, 

 and when they indulge in this to any extent, their flesh, at other times excellent food, acquires a 

 somewhat disagreeable flavour. 



Their breeding-time begins late in the season, generally about the middle of May, when they 

 usually construct their nests among the sedges and reeds that grow upon the margins of the marsh or 

 pond which they may have selected for their residence. Whether this be fresh water or salt seems to 

 be to them a matter of no consequence. Sometimes they will build in situations frequented by man, 

 sometimes by the side of very small ponds, but in the latter case they soon remove their young ones 

 to a more roomy locality. After their first arrival they spend a long time in the society of other 

 species of Ducks, apparently without ever thinking of the great object of their visit. Towards the 

 end of April they become restless and lively, and the males begin to utter their amorous call, the 

 flock separates into pairs, which at once set to work in earnest to construct their nests. There does 

 not seem to be any fighting amongst the males ; the females quietly select their mates, and the 

 espoused couple immediately resort to their building ground. The nest is usually a mere pile of 

 sedges, stalks of reeds, hay, straw, and leaves, slightly hollowed at the top, and warmly lined with 

 feathers. The eggs, eight or ten in number, sometimes in exceptional cases more, sometimes fewer, 

 are moderately large, roundish, and of a dull grey or olive-green. So long as the female continues to 



