438 
ANATIM. 
sometimes rather darker, and inclining to green. I 
have remarked that the smaller birds, which I have 
had constant opportunity of observing, usually lay their 
eggs early in the morning; I was therefore surprised 
to find that two of the Red-breasted Mergansers which 
we shot, contained eggs, quite hard and ready for lay¬ 
ing, as late as eleven o'clock in the forenoon. 
