SPOTTED-BILL 5 



separated into the definite tricolour in many instances, the 

 base being orange and the sides as well as the tip yellow. When 

 it comes to the voice, the relationship of the spotted-bill and 

 mallard is again obvious at once ; in both the quack of the duck 

 and the wheeze of the drake are the same, although the latter 

 in the spotted-bill bears the same unpretentious plumage as his 

 mate. 



In weight spotted-bill are pretty much the same as mallard ; 

 there is, perhaps, not quite so much difference in the size of the 

 sexes in the Indian bird, and the male spotted-bill does not 

 run so heavy as some mallard — it is a noticeably lighter-built 

 bird when the two are closely compared in life. 



The spotted-bill inhabits nearly all our Empire, but is not 

 found in Southern Burma or the islands of the Bay of Bengal ; 

 nor does it ascend the hills higher than about 4,000 ft. It 

 never leaves our limits entirely, but, like all birds whose liveli- 

 hood depends on water, has to shift its quarters more or less to 

 secure favourable conditions. In Central India and in Manipur 

 it is more common than anywhere else. 



It is not very particular about its haunts, frequenting small 

 or large ponds, running or standing water ; but on the whole 

 standing water with plenty of cover is most to its taste. It does 

 not associate in large flocks like its migratory allies, and pairs 

 are commonly found ; a solitary bird will sometimes assume the 

 honorary headship of a flock of teal, but they keep apart from 

 other waterfowl as a rule. On a few occasions as many as a 

 hundred spotted-bill have been seen in a flock, but half this 

 number is rare, and small flocks of about a dozen are usually seen. 



The general habits of the spotted-bill are so exactly like those 

 of mallard that it is no wonder the two are sometimes confused. 

 Like its migratory cousin, the Indian bird flies, swims, walks, 

 and dives well ; although it rises with more of a fluster and does 

 not get up its pace so quickly, it has the advantage when 

 wounded, as it dives very well and hides most cunningly in any 

 available cover. Its tastes are as omnivorous as those of mallard, 

 and it is a pest to rice-growers at times. Even its nesting-habits 

 are similar, as it breeds on the ground in grass or other shelter, 

 not in the elevated sites usually favoured by most of our resident 



