446 FERRUGINOUS DUCK. 
North Africa, and in winter is found in large flocks on the lakes of 
Egypt, and thence to Abyssinia. In the temperate and elevated 
regions of Asia it is generally numerous, and Mr. Hume says that 
boat-loads of its eggs are brought into the market of Srinagar, in 
Kashmir. During cold weather it is found over India down to 
lat. 17° N., and as far east as Arrakan; but in Eastern Siberia, 
China and Japan it is represented by / daerz. 
A nest found in Spain by the late Lord Lilford was placed amongst 
high rushes, at a short distance from the water, and was composed 
of dry water-plants with a lining of brownish-white down and a few 
white feathers. Mr. W. E. Clarke describes the down as brownish- 
black, with greyish tips at the point of insertion. The eggs, 7-14 
in number, are whitish or pale buff-colour, sometimes with an 
evanescent greenish tinge: measurements 2°1 by 1°5 in. The food, 
sought by day, consists partly of vegetable matter, but largely of 
insects and their larve, small molluscs, crustaceans &c. ; and there 
is consequently great variation in the fitness of this Duck for the 
table. Its diving powers can hardly be surpassed ; it rises, however, 
somewhat heavily, striking the water repeatedly with its feet, like a 
Coot ; and it is not remarkably rapid when on the wing, at which 
time it has a very dark appearance, whence its Spanish name 
“Negrete.” By this fact and by its white wing-bar it may easily be 
recognized. It is seldom seen on large open sheets of water, but 
prefers weedy lakes and ponds, where it can find réeds and other 
cover suited to its skulking nature ; in fact its resorts are somewhat 
similar to those of a Little Grebe. The note is a harsh herr, kere, 
kirr. Mr. J. H. Gurney has known a drake live in captivity for 
fifteen years. 
The adult male has the bill bluish-black ; irides white ; head, 
neck and upper breast rich chestnut-brown, with a narrow brown 
collar, and small white spot on the chin; back and wing-coverts 
umber brown with a tinge of green; quills dusky black, part of 
the inner webs white ; on the secondaries a white patch bordered 
with black ; tail sooty-black ; lower breast and belly white ; flanks 
chestnut-brown, vent greyish-brown, under tail-coverts white; legs 
and toes lead-colour, the webs darker. Length 16 in. ; wing 7°75 in. 
The female is rather smaller ; her irides are not so white ; the head 
and neck are of a darker brown, less rich in tone; and the lower 
breast and belly are seldom—though occasionally—as white as in 
the male. The young bird of the year has even less of the chestnut 
tint than the adult female. 
