SOME NOTES ON GAME BIRDS IN MESOPOTAMIA. 489 



them. Am protty euro of their idoutity as I watched them 

 through ghisses at 80 yards and have shot thoin iu India. 



'20. A Bhick Goose — (?) liranta ruJlcoUu. 



Unablo to identify or shoot. A flock of eleven were about Hanna 



from March 11 to March 17, and were usually accompanied by five 



or six Grey Lag. 



'The Black Goose is probably Branta ni/tcollis, the Red-breasted Goose, a 



species found in Siberia and migrating to the Caspian, Turkestan and 



Egypt. Several correspondents have mentioned this species. — Ed.s.] 



:.'l. Common Sheldrake — Tadorna cornuta. 



A fair number seen. One shot out of flock of seven at Hanna, 

 17th March 1916. One shot at Falahyek, 26th Sept. One pair 

 seen at Hanna, Ist July 1917. 



22. Ruddy Sheldrake or Brahminy Duck — Casarca rutila. 



Fairly common. Breeding about Istabulat and Samarra, April- 

 Mav 1917. One clutch of 8 eggs found in a hole in the low hills, 

 N.-W. of Samarra (Right Bank Tigris), 14th May 1917. Eggs fresh. 

 The hole looked like an old jackal hole. Eggs were about 14 feet 

 below the surface and about 20 feet in. Saw many pairs that 

 were nesting. 



23. Mallard — Anas boscas. 



Common, probably breeds in marshes as I saw them in every 

 month. A few only in June-July. 



24. Bronze-capped Teal — Eunetta falcata. 



A drake in full plumage shot out of a small flock of Gadwall on 

 19th March at Hanna. 



25. Gadwall — Chaulelasmus streperus. , 



Common. Saw none in hot weather. 



26. Common Teal — Nettiuvi crecca. 



Common. Seen xip till May 8th and again from 2nd August 

 onwards. 



27. Wigeon — Mareca penelope. 



Very plentiful in winter, 1010-1916, and a fair numb.r about in 

 winter, 1916-1917. 



28. Pintail — Dafila acuta. 



Fairly plentiful. 



29. Garganey Teal — Querquedula circia. 



None seen in 1916. A single bird seci: and shot March 4th, 

 1917, 



Several flocks seen and some birds shot April 10th, 11th and 

 12th, 1917, atHarbe. 



30. Shoveller — Spatula clypeuta. 



Common, not seen later than May 8th or before August 29th. 



