274 Mr. F. B. Simson on the Pink-headed Duck. 



or dived again. Several bright Herons, who had been fish- 

 ing even in the daytime iu these quiet waters, disappeared 

 with many a wdk-ivdk. Common Herons rose likewise, and 

 Egrets and Paddy-birds. Little Cormorants were to be seen 

 in numbers. All the various kinds of Ducks so common 

 here in February and March, such as Pintails, Blue-winged 

 Teal, White- eyed and Grey Ducks, with Gadwall, Shovellers, 

 and Common Teal, were absent now. But the air seemed 

 alive nevertheless with wading and swimming birds. After 

 having discussed all the species we saw, we examined the 

 two Pink-headed Ducks we had picked up with the aid of 

 the elephants. Jerdon was delighted with them, and said 

 that the pink of the head was far more beautiful than in dried 

 specimens. He considered them very valuable. We then 

 made off to rejoin the shooting-party, and in going to them 

 put up seven Bitterns, which to me were more uncommon 

 birds than the Ducks. 



The Ducky's plumage is fully described by Jerdon and 

 Hume ; I need only here refer to its habits. It lives in 

 this country all the year round, generally it is found in small 

 flocks of from eight to twelve; probably these are the old 

 birds and the young ones of the year. It never associates, 

 so far as I saw, with other Ducks, nor gets into large flocks. 

 In the breeding-season it pairs and nests in short grass on 

 dry land at some distance from the pools. I have seen the 

 eggs, but cannot now describe them. I have had the young 

 ones brought to me, and should think they could be easily 

 domesticated, for the bird seems exactly like the Mallard, 

 except in size and plumage. I have never met with the bird 

 far from these plains, and I remarked its absence when 

 shooting at the foot of the Himalaya lowest ranges in the 

 north of Purneah. The taste of this Duck when cooked is 

 inferior; indeed I prefer every other Duck save the Shoveller 

 to it, and consider it worse than the Brahminy Duck or the 

 Whistling Teal. 



There are many reasons why the Pink -headed Duck is not 

 well known. One I have just given, viz. that it is poor 

 on the tabic ; another is that it is never very numerous 



