LETTER XXIV. 175 



bay, or bright chestnut, of head and neck, far surpass the Red- 

 headed Pochard (F. fcrina) in brilliancy of colouring, though 

 there is a sort of general resemblance, which may have occasioned 

 its being sometimes mistaken for it, and so not reported. I had 

 to point out its peculiarities even to some shooting neighbours 

 before they would acknowledge that it was not a Red-headed 

 Pochard. A young relation, on leave from India (Mr Edward 

 Jenkinson), recognised the bird immediately, it being very 

 abundant and giving great sport on the reedy ponds (jheels) in 

 his district (Cawnpore and Benares). It is called by the natives 

 Tal seer (Red head). 



The skin of the Rufina was in perfect condition, and when I 

 showed it to our neighbour, Captain Orde (son of Sir John Orde 

 of Kilmory), who is an arch-birdist, and has a very pretty col- 

 lection of specimens, which he obtained himself when quartered in 

 North America and other countries, he expressed a wish to take it 

 to London to exhibit at the meeting of the " Ibis " Club. 1 So the 

 illustrious dead was introduced to that assembly. I afterwards 

 begged him to accept of it for his collection, and contented 

 myself with a coloured portrait which I made. 



The Common Teal was the only other duck which he recognised 

 among the great variety which India produces. But though 

 shooting ducks is admirable sport, yet the economical plan is to 

 hire a duckman, who swims after the ducks with a calabash, or 

 earthen jar, having eye-holes, over his head, and catches them 



1 " British Ornithologists' Union," under whose auspices The Ibis, a journal of 

 ornithology, is published quarterly. This bird was exhibited at the meeting of 

 the Zoological Society of London by Mr P. L. Sclater, and an account published 

 in the P. Z. S. 1862, p. 103, and not to the members of the B. 0. U.— Ed. 



