238 INDIAN DUCKS. 



and the most flattering terms I have known appHed to it are Macgillivray's 

 to the effect that " it is not thought mucli of for the tal)le, its flesh 1)einff 

 rather rank/' 



The Scaup is one of the most northern breeding of tlie ducks, having 

 been observed breeding, as already noted, at least as far north as lat. 70°. 

 As to its breeding within Indian limits, this, in spite of Hume's young 

 bird being caught in Kashmir, is most unlikely ever to be found to be the 

 case. 



The description of the nest, as given by various writers, diffiM's great] v: 

 one says it is a scanty affair of grasses and weeds, &c., without any down 

 in it at all — a rare thing this with ducks' nests ; whilst others say that the 

 nest, though of few materials and veiy roughly formed, is yet well lined 

 Avith down and feathers, not only enough to form the lining itself, but 

 sufficient to make a bed in which the eggs lie quite covered. 



Its position also seems to vary very much ; as a rule, it is placed close 

 to water in a depression under cover of some sort, or else in amongst fairly 

 dense vegetation. At other times — this, it appears, but rarely — in a hole 

 in the ground, and sometimes in the open amongst stones, where there is 

 no cover. In the latter case, no doubt, it is in the bleaker parts, where 

 vegetation close to water is scant, and where, also, there is not much to 

 interfere with their breeding-arrangements. According to Dresser, " Not 

 unfrequently several females deposit their eggs in the same nest ; and 

 Dr. Kriiper states that in Iceland he once found twenty-two eggs in one 

 nest. The eggs are deposited from the early part of June to the middle of 

 July, and when the female commences to incubate she sits very close, not 

 leaving the nest until the intruder is close to it. I possess a nest and 

 seven eggs of this duck, taken by Mr. Meves in Oland, on the 5th July, 

 1871. This nest consists only of grass, without any down as lining, and 

 the eggs are uniform greyish stone-bufF in colour, and vary in size from 

 2-45 X 1-67 to 2-5 x 1-77 inches." 



The only eggs I have ever seen were taken in Iceland on the 10th June; 

 these are dull cafe-au-Iait, with a grey tinge. In shape they are rather 

 broad, very regular ovals, and the texture of the egg is much like that of 

 the egg of JVt/roca afrkana, but not, I think, quite so soft or porous. 

 There is no gloss. 



Dr. Paul Leverkiilm informs me that Mr. Baer, of Neisse, in Silesia, 

 found the Scaup breeding in Germany. Previously it had only been 

 known to visit Germany in winter. Dr. Leverkilhn himself obtained 

 many specimens on the coast of the Baltic Sea. 



