250 Capt. L. H. Irby on Birds observed in Oudh and Kumaon. 



in small flocks of seven or eight, and a single bird — and is, as fa 

 as I have seen, excessively wary. The pink head is very ap- 

 parent when on the wing, contrasting with the dark plumage of 

 the body : immature specimens are not so pink on the head and 

 neck as the adult. 



208. Dafila acuta. (Pintail.) 



Very common in the cold season in large flocks. 



209. Mareca PENELOPE. (Wigeon.) 



Seen in small numbers towards the end of the cold season. 



210. QuERQUEDULA CRECCA. (Teal.) 



Extremely numerous ; arriving about the end of September. 

 I know an instance of twenty-three having been bagged out of 

 a flock. Three barrels were fired, and a single one was killed 

 with the fourth barrel. A great haul for the pot this, especially 

 when one is hard up for good food. 



211. QuERQUEDULA ciRCiA. (Gargauey.) 



Frequently seen in the cold season; exceedingly common in 

 February and March ; I caught some young, half-fledged, in the 

 month of September. It is, I suppose, an unsolved problem 

 where the wild-fowl, waders, &c., which resort to the plains of 

 India in the cold season, go to breed : to the Lakes of Thibet, 

 and the river Yaroo, perhaps. The only wild-fowl which I 

 noticed in Kumaon, on Nynee Tal, were — a single Goose, some 

 Gadwalls, Shovellers, Teals and Garganeys, and a solitary Coot 

 {Fulica atra) ; I also once saw a large Grebe, probably Podi- 

 ceps cristata. These birds only remained on the lake for a 

 day or two ; indeed they could not live, the depth of the lake is 

 so great that there can be little food for them, and there are not 

 many weeds except close to the road. 



212. Branta rufina. (Red-crested Pochard.) 

 Exceedingly common in the cold season. Why was the 



epithet " Whistling " ever applied to this bird ? I have seen 

 hundreds, and never once heard a whistle from one. In habits 

 they resemble our Common Pochard. 



213. FuLiGULA FERiNA. (Commou Pochard.) 

 Occasionally seen in the cold season, but was not common. 



