CLUCKING TEAL. 147 



of its sex. Tlie last bird of this species remained on 

 the Boganida untih the 23rd. of August." 



"This species likewise frequently appeared in the 

 Stanowoj Mountains on the river Aim, and in Udskoj- 

 Ostrog, where they arrived in the early part of May." 



"The eggs are small, and of a bluish yellow colour, 

 the smallest being fifty millemetres (two inches, English) 

 in its long diameter, and thirty-five millemetres (or 

 one inch and two fifths, English) in its lesser diameter." 



"In whatever numbers collected together, these birds 

 were very shy, but less so, hovt-ever, when paired. 

 They make a horrible noise while they uninterruptedly 

 cause their loud quacking (clucking?) notes to be 

 heard." 



I have much pleasure in giving a copy of one of 

 the eggs alluded to by MiddendorfF in the above extract 

 from his interesting work. 



The adult male in breeding plumage has the fore- 

 head, vertex, and occiput of a rich purple brown, the 

 feathers forming a distinct crest j this crest is bounded 

 on each side by a white narrow band from the anterior 

 angle of the eye to the occiput; beyond this white 

 band there is a rich glossy green band, extending 

 round the nape, and thus forming a demi-collar ; the 

 cheeks and sides of the head are occupied by two 

 quadrangular patches of fawn-coloured feathers, sepa- 

 rated by a black white-bordered band, which extends 

 obliquely from the lower eyelid to the posterior border 

 of the large oval black patch on the throat; another 

 black band extends from the posterior angle of the 

 green collar to the side of the neck obliquely, being 

 parallel to the anterior band, and forming the posterior 

 border of the second fawn-coloured patch, which latter 

 extends broadly in front of the gular black spot, and 



