18 UAÜCH.LUK.
I t is related that until the latter if. finished she is in the habit of
s i t t i n g at night on a similar but smaller tuft "which she has raised by
its side.
T h e eggs are four, five, or t»ix in number, oval in shape, tapering
towards each end, a n d dull white in colour. The bird is in the habit
of covering them over with weeds when leaving the nest for a time,
at least, as soon as t h e y are all laid, and it would farther appear that
t h e covering is not t h e n removed, b u t that she sits on both it and
t h e eggs: they become a good deal stained in consequence. The period
of b r e e d i n g is about the middle of Mav.
The young take to the water immediately on being hatched.
M a l e ; weight, between six a n d seven o u n c e s ; l e n g t h , from nine inches
a n d a half to t e n i n c h e s ; bill, black, the tip paler, a light horn-colour;
t h e upper mandible is s t r a i g h t , the under one a n g u l a r ; in winter the
lower mandible is paler than the u p p e r ; the basal part of both is
yellowish or yellowish w h i t e ; iris, deep reddish brown. Head on the
crown, n e c k on the back, a n d nape, d a r k brownish black, glossed with
g r e e n ; the head on the sides is chesnut red: iu winter all these arc
brown. The feathers about the h e a d are soft and flexible, and capable
of being puffed out or laid flat at the pleasure of the bird. Chin,
dull black, also with a tinge of green. Throat and breast, dull but
glossy silvery greyish white, w i t h a tint of black; on the sides dusky
brown. Back, rusty blackish brown, with a tinge of dull greenish,
s h a d i n g towards the sides of the breast into a paler tint, which is
c o n t i n u e d down to the flanks. In winter the back is b r o w n — t h e lower
p a r t is p a l e r than the upper.
T h e wings in the stretch are about one foot four inches; primaries,
d a r k brown, in winter some of t h em are greyish white; secondaries,
white at the base and on the inner webs, a p p a r e n t when the b i r d is
flying; iu winter they arc g r e y i s h white. Legs and toes, dull blackish
g r e e n , the iusides paler, and with a tinge of yellowish red. They
are large in size in p r o p o r t i o n to that of the bird.
T h e plumage of t h e young chick is dark brown on the head, neck,
and back, with longitudinal streaks of pale yellowish brown; the
b r e a s t silvery white. In the first year's plumage the bill is pale
yellowish brown at the tip, t h e remainder brownish horn-colour; the
h e a d , neck on the back, and nape, r a t h e r pale brown, with a m i x t u re
of grey and rufous; the sides of the neck still l i g h t e r , eventuating in
r e d d i s h g r e y ; the chin w h i t e ; t h e breast g r e y i s h w h i t e ; the sides clouded
w i t h brown.