86 ORNAMENTAL WATERFOWL. 
It is a native of China, but has been brought from Africa and 
parts of Asia. ‘The cry is very loud, and the bird seems to 
distinguish distant sounds with extraordinary facility, appearing 
in the night time to be constantly on the alert, when at the 
most distant footstep it will trumpet forth its note of alarm. 
When, during the breeding season, anything disturbed my 
geese, or if greatly excited, the bird took to the water, and, 
elevating the tail and the hinder parts, submerged its throat and 
breast, and proceeded in this singular attitude to scour through 
the water at a tremendous rate, uttering the most discordant 
sounds. This species appears to pair, and in the breeding 
season is extremely quarrelsome, being excellent layers, often 
commencing in January, and producing twenty-five to thirty 
eggs before wanting to sit, which they will do two or three times 
in the course of the year. They may be obtained at from £1 
to £3 the couple. 
Male.—Ground colour of plumage, grey, each feather 
edged with a paler shade ; a dark brown stripe extends from the 
back of the head down the neck to the shoulders; front of 
throat and breast clear reddish-fawn colour; back, wings, and 
tail dark brqwn ; the beak, knob, and legs black ; eye black. 
Female.—Similar to male; very much smaller ; knob 
on bill less developed. 
Young.—Top of body ashy-brown ; under parts yellow- 
ish-white in down. First plumage resembles that of adults. 
In the White variety the plumage of both sexes is of 
that hue throughout, and the bill, knob, legs, and feet of a 
bright gamboge-yellow. Where there exists any deviation 
from this rule, I am inclined to regard it as the result of a 
cross between the two varieties. 
Egg.—White; ten to twelve in number. March and 
September. Incubation, four weeks to thirty-two days. 
