MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 291 



this is not correct ? I have examined a fair number of females and have 

 invariably found the irides to be brown, as late as April at all events. The 

 " Fauna" is silent on the subject and I have no other works by me now. 

 Perhaps other members will record their experiences ? 



CLAUD B. TICEHURST, Capt., r.a.m.c. 

 Karachi, Jultj Wth, 1918. 



No. XVIII.— NOTE ON THE HABITS OF THE MALLARD 



ANAS BOSCHAS. 



During all February and the first week in March 1918, I observed last 

 flocks of Mallard, settling close in shore on the sea. The birds came every 

 day morning and evening going away in an easterly direction during the 

 middle of the day. During this time there had been very little rain and 

 this may have led to an insufficiency of feeding in the few jhils round here. 

 The sea here is very shallow for a long distance out, which may account 

 for the duck settling, but I have never observed this habit before, and I 

 should be interested to hear if it is a common occurrence. 



Though work was going on, loading and unloading ships close to the 

 point where the birds settled, this did not seem to disturb them. They 

 were however very wary and it was not possible to get near them with a 

 gun, and I never succeeded in shooting them. Through a glass it was quite 

 possible to distinguish fully the plumage of the birds and they were fre- 

 quently to be seen disporting themselves on the sands much like the 

 ordinary farmyard duck. 



Bandar Abpas, 17th March 1918. E. J. D. COLVIN, Lt.-Col. 



No. XIX.— AN ADDITION TO THE GAME BIRDS OF BURMA. 

 THE LONG-BILLED HILL PARTRIDGE {RHIZOTHEEA 

 LONGIROSTRIS, Temm.) IN TENASSERIM. 



The addition of this fine partridge to our avifauna is due to the energy 

 of Mr. J. C. Hopwood of the Imperial Forest Service. He most kindly 

 sent me the skin of a female which neither he nor Mr. Mackenzie of the 

 same service conkl identify. I was unable to do so either and forwarded the 

 skin to Dr. Annandale, Director of the Zoological Survey. He wrote that they 

 had not got it in the Indian Museum and advised me to send it to Mr. H. C. 

 Robinson, Director of Museums, Federated Malay States, as it probably 

 was a Malayan species. I did this and Mr. Robinson kindly identified it 

 and sent me the following interesting note : " The Partridge sent is a 

 specimen (female) of Rhizothera longirostris (Temm.), the Long-billed Hill 

 Partridge. It does not appear to have been recorded from the Indian 

 Empire, but is common over the whole of the Malay Peninsula in suitable 

 localities and also in Borneo and Sumatra in slightly modified forms. 



In the Malay Peninsula it is an inhabitant of heavy jungle, usually dry 

 jungle in which there is much bamboo up to about 4,000 feet. It is very 

 terrestrial and partially crepuscular in its habitats. Its note is a loud 

 clear whistle often heard at night." 



Mr. Hopwood sent me the following note along with the skin : — 



"The bird was shot by my assistant about 16 miles inland from Bokpyin 

 in bamboo jungle, about half way between Mergui and Victoria Point. 

 From the rudimentary spur it is probably a female. The birds are reported 

 to be rare." On the label is the following information : — 



"Locality: about 120 miles south of Mergui in bamboo forest. 



