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DESCKIPTION OF WILD DUCKS' DOWN. 

 By W. H. Workman, M.B.O.U. 



Mr. Harvie-Brown, in ' The Zoologist ' for October last, gives 

 some most interesting descriptions and directions for dealing 

 with the downs of various species of Ducks, which will prove 

 very useful to many of us younger ornithologists who cannot 

 get access to very early volumes of this Journal and the ' Ibis.' 



When I read the above quoted paper I expected we should 

 have a string of notes from collectors all over the country, 

 with descriptions of the British breeding Ducks' downs ; but, 

 strange to say, nobody has taken up the thread. This made me 

 look round my collection and amongst my friends for specimens 

 of downs, and I am greatly obliged for kind help to Dr. Darling, 

 Mr. Foster, and Mr. Malcomson — all experienced naturalists, and 

 well acquainted with our birds. I have selected a few species 

 from which the old birds were actually seen on or leaving the 

 nest, and I think, with Mr. Harvie-Brown, it is much better not 

 to give descriptions of downs from dealers, or not quite authenti- 

 cated. I hope we will in time get together, in one journal, 

 descriptions of all the British species. 



I keep my collection in small glass-topped boxes, about two 

 inches square, with a full description noted on bottom of each, 

 viz. — name, locality, date, name of collector, and notes about 

 parent bird being seen — then in the bottom I put a small piece 

 of naphthaline to keep out insects. This plan, if one has not got 

 down and clutches of eggs together, answers well, and the little 

 boxes, when packed full, hold quite enough to show the colour in 

 bulk, and look well kept in a cabinet drawer. 



I examined the specimens given below in a good light, without 

 sunshine, and I found the best way to hold the single sprays for 

 Sommerfeldt's method was to catch the little shaft with a pair of 

 forceps, or in the split at the point of a steel pen ; this latter way 

 I found very handy, as you can lay it down while writing 



