6 JOURNAL, BOMBA Y NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. XII. 



" My men did not remember how long it would take to reach me ; 

 consequently it was nearly dark before I could begin to move, and then 

 the birds had to be gathered. We collected in all 96, but had to leave 

 many, for they waddled over the ice and got into pools separated from 

 us by thick ice and reeds frozen hard together. Curiously enough not 

 a single red-crested pochard came to the gun ; but 53 mallard were 

 amongst the slain, and very grand they looked when put in a line on 

 the deck of the house-boat." 



In Sind, in the cold weather only of course, the Mallard is found in 

 as fifreat numbers as in Kashmir. Here it is said to collect in flocks of 

 some hundreds ; but this is not usual, and all over its vast range it will be 

 found more often in small than in large flocks. 



About a dozen to some twenty or so is perhaps the number most often 

 seen together in one flock, and over forty or fifty is well above the aver- 

 age, whilst flights numbering a hundred will seldom be seen. 



They often too are found merely in pairs, whether in the hot plains 

 of India or in our own cool island. Many, if not most of us, must have, 

 while wandering along some half-frozen brook, or wholly frozen 

 broad, put up a pair of wild duck from some sheltered place beneath a 

 tree or thick cluster of reeds. Generally, even in the depth of winter, 

 they keep to open water, be it a pool ever so small ; but I have seen them 

 disconsolately sitting on the edge of a completely ice-bound pond. 



As regards their habits generally, I cannot do better than follow 

 Hume and quote what Macgillivray says : — 



" Marshy places, the margins of lakes, pools and rivers, as well as 

 brooks, rills and ditches, are its principal places of resort at all seasons. 

 It walks with ease, even runs with considerable speed, swims and on 

 occasion dives, although not in search of food. Seeds of GraminecB and 

 other plants, fleshy and fibrous roots, worms, mollusca, insects, small 

 reptiles and fishes, are the principal objects of its search. In shallow 

 water it reaches the bottom with its bill, keeping the hind part of the body 

 erect by a continual motion of the feet. On the water it sits rather 

 lightly, with the tail considerably inclined upwards ; when searching 

 under the surface it keeps the tail flat on the water ; and when 

 paddling at the bottom with its hind part up it directs the tail 

 backwards. The male emits a low and rather soft cry between a 

 groak and a murmur, and the female a louder and clearer jabber. 



