9(j NATURAL HISTORY, 



The Red-crested Pochard (Fulipula rufina) and the Tufted Duck 

 (F. cristata) are fairly common, especially the latter. I did not shoot 

 a single one of either of these ducks last December, nor did I observe 

 any, nor did I see any pochard (Fulig ula ferina) at that time ; I have 

 only a note of it forming part of my bag last February, but whether 

 common or not is not mentioned. 



The White-eyed Duck (Fuligula ferina) is common. 

 At the latter end of the season, when the water has fallen, Snipe 

 common and Jack are numerous in favourable places round the edges 

 of the lake. 



On the babul-fringed banks of the canal from Sehman I secured a 

 male and a female of Passer pyrrhonotus ; this is an interesting bird 

 from having been rediscovered by Mr. Doig in 1880, not having been 

 recorded in India for forty years previously — See Stray Feathers, Vol. IX. 

 As regards the other animals inhabiting the lake, which particularly 

 attract notice, amongst the fish there is a fresh- water pipe fish in con- 

 siderable numbers ; in fact, it is almost impossible to look down into the 

 water without seeing several of these gliding in and out amongst the 

 weeds ; the natives never seem to catch it ; there is also a fresh-water 

 prawn which to the eye uneducated in entomostracan lore appears 

 similar to the well-known marine form. Mr. Murray informs me that 

 it has not as yet been properly identified. 



There are several species of fresh-water shells, one, — a fresh-water 

 mussel, — is very numerous ; there is another form of large bivalve, 

 which is unknown to me ; Limncea sp. (?) is also very common with 

 a pink variety ; Sphcerium sp. (?) fairly numerous; a smallish Planorbis 

 sp. (?) is met with on the weeds, but not in any great numbers : 

 Paludina sp. (?) is very common. 



As regards the vegetable kingdom, one of the commonest sights is 

 to see a number of naked women digging up from the mud the roots 

 of the lotus, whose broad leaves cover the water in places, and afford 

 a convenient standing ground for snipe, as I found to my cost, when 

 working the neighbouring snipe ground ; these roots seem to be rather 

 highly prized as a vegetable; I tasted them, and they had the flavour 

 of parsnip, but were rather stringy, as they seem chiefly made up of a 

 number of fine silk-like fibres. But for the present I have said more 

 than enough ; if I were to Avrite of all I saw at the lake, I am afraid 

 the journal of the B. N. H. S. would scarcely contain it. 



E. F. BECHEf?, Caft., E.A., f.z.s. 



