132 INDIAN DUCKS. 



most prevalent colour in the fresh e^g, is nearly always lost. J had one 

 egg in my collection Avhich was a deep buft" colour ; it was found in East 

 Prussia, and I cannot say how far advanced incul)ation was when the egg 

 was taken, but, judging from the size of the l)low-hole, the chick could 

 not have been very large. 



The texture is very fine, smooth, close, and satiny to the touch, like 

 most duck's eggs. There is a faint gloss, sometimes rather [ironounced in 

 the I'resh egg,, often absent in those near hatching. 



They are normally shaped duck's eggs, /. e. rather broad regular ovals, 

 sometimes slightlj' compressed towards the smaller end, sometimes equal at 

 both ends. 



My eggs, and those I have records of, all come within Hume's 

 measurements, in length varying between 2'1 and 2*3b inches, and in 

 breadth 1*5 and 1*72. 



