412 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



its appearance that I examined it long and earnestly through my 

 glasses, with the result that I allowed it to escape ; but the second I 

 saw was promptly secured. 



This discovery of the breeding of what has hitherto been considered 

 a strictly American bird in Europe will certainly be a subject of great 

 interest not only to ornithologists here, but to those of America, and 

 the Continent as well ; and will certainly strengthen the hitherto 

 somewhat shaky position of the species as a British bird. As will be 

 gathered from the foregoing, I brought back adult male and female, 

 and three downy young. I am having a plate prepared, which will 

 show at a glance how to distinguish between the female and young 

 male of this bird and the Common Wigeon. 



Scaup, Fuligula marila. (Dukond.) — One of the commonest ducks. 

 I found the nesting-sites and the nest of this duck to vary to a most 

 remarkable extent. One nest was built up from the bottom of the 

 lake, until the top was brought under the shelter of a mass of large 

 leaves of the marsh-marigold. The mass of vegetable-matter and mud 

 used would have filled a large wheelbarrow. I brought the top portion 

 and the eggs away." I got adult females, plenty of downy young, 

 nests, eggs, and down. 



Barrow's Golden-eye, CJavriula islandica. (Hiisond.) — Very com- 

 mon in some districts. All writers, even to the latest, on this hand- 

 some duck intimate that it is difficult, if not impossible, to distinguish 

 between the female of this and our Golden-eye (C. rjlaucion). In the 

 very first couple of these birds I shot — they were the first I had ever 

 handled — I noticed a peculiarity of structure which I had never seen in 

 any duck before, and one which would certainly instantly distinguish 

 between the female or young male and our bird ; it is also present in 

 the downy young. I procured an unusually large series of females to 

 satisfy myself that the character was permanent, and on my return 

 examined a good series of females of our bird. I am having a plate 

 prepared, showing these distinctive characters. I gathered much 

 very interesting information concerning these birds. I brought back 

 adult males (summer and winter), adult females, plenty of downy 

 young, eggs, and down. 



Long-tailed Duck, Harelda glacialis. (Havella.) — The commonest 

 breeding duck everywhere. I got adult male in eclipse dress, adult 

 females, plenty of downy young, eggs, and down. 



Harlequin Duck, Cosmonetta Instrionica. (Straumond.) — This 

 magnificent duck is common on most of the wild rapid rivers. The 



''■'- In the nest was a tiny egg, which the Icelanders averred was the last 

 the bird would ever lay. 



