18 INDIAN SPORTING BIRDS 



is well known there ; it breeds in small numbers in England, 

 where, unlike all our other ducks, it is a summer migrant only. 

 It seems never to go into cold waters, though able to bear our 

 English winters in captivity quite well. All across Asia it is to 

 be found in summer, and is a very conmion species in winter 

 from Egypt on the west to China on the east, and even reaches 

 Java. It comes in nearly or quite as early as the common teal 

 in India ; in fact, in the north-west generally earlier, and in two 

 instances has been found breeding in India and Burma, for 

 though, as a rule, only a visitor, it may be found at any time 

 during the year exceptionally. The breeding records, however 

 — one from Oudh and one from Moulmein — only concern the 

 capture of more or less fledged young, and an actual nest has 

 not been found. 



The nest in the countries where the bird breeds is made on 

 the ground among grass or other cover near small pieces of 

 water, and is provided with a rather scanty lining of down. 

 About eight is the usual number of eggs laid ; they are yellowish- 

 white, like those of the common teal, and of the same size. The 

 ducklings also are much like miniature young mallard. 



The Bengali names of the garganey are Gangroih and 

 Girria ; in Hindustani it is called Kliaira and Patari as well 

 as Chaitioa. 



Clucking Teal. 



* Nettuim formosum. 



The head alone is quite enough to identify the drake of this 

 rare species ; the throat and crown are black, the face buff, with 

 a black line down from each eye as if the bird had been crying 

 tears of ink, and a crescent of glittering green curving round 

 at the back. There is a vertical white bar on each side of the 

 pinkish, black-spotted breast, separating it from the pencilled 

 blue-grey flanks, and the shoulders are decked with long hackles 

 streaked with black, buff, and chestnut. 



* Querquedula c^locitans on plate. 



