found in Eastern Bengal. 91 



avocetta) . This is a shy and wary bird ; when roused (gene- 

 rally in small flocks), it flies a long way, and very often goes 

 from one side of the large rivers to the other, so that pursuit 

 is impracticable. 



Sarcidiornis melanonotus is to be found nearly every spring 

 in the same ground as the Avocet. Jerdon says it is very 

 rare in Lower Bengal ; but I found it and shot it often. The 

 resemblance . of this large bird to the Pygmy Nettapus in 

 colouring is remarkable. 



Here also come flocks of Geese. Anser indicus is the com- 

 monest ; but I have shot in Tippera, and seen here and also 

 in the neighbourhood of Furreedpore, another Goose : I 

 never killed it of late years ; and when I shot it in earlier days, 

 Jerdon's book was not published. It might have been Anser 

 brachyi'hynchus or Anser cinereus. Geese, Ducks, and various 

 Wildfowl are caught in the churs of the Ganges near Furreed- 

 pore in great numbers in the end of February and beginning 

 of March by fishermen, who sell them in the bazars at very 

 low prices. I have bought Anser indicus for half a I'upee, and 

 a brace of fat Pintail Ducks for the same price. The mode 

 of capture was, I was told, as follows : — A certain chur or 

 sandbank is fixed upon by the fishermen generally as the 

 trapping-ground ; and this islet is left in absolute repose. All 

 the other churs for miles round are disturbed, and the Geese 

 and Ducks, Cranes and Pelicans, are hunted off" and not 

 allowed to rest, sleep, or remain quiet, day or night ; for much 

 fishing goes on at night. The birds then resort to the one 

 undisturbed chur. After a few days this chur is covered with 

 snares, nooses, nets, and traps, both in the green grass, in 

 the muddy shore, and even in the shallow water; and thus 

 hundreds of birds are captured. I have had brilliant sport 

 shooting among these sandbanks. My last day was on the 

 7th of February 1872. It was cool and windy. I had two 

 small fishing-boats ; the weapons were one duck-gun, carry- 

 ing only six drachms of powder and two ounces of BB shot 

 in each barrel, and two ordinary No. 12 breech-loaders. I 

 killed forty-seven couple of Ducks, chiefly Pintails and Blue- 

 winged Tealj with a few Spotted-bill Ducks. I also got two 



