350 ANATIDyE. 



on the plains ; at others, in clefts of precipitous rocks, as in 

 Algeria and in Palestine, where Canon Tristram found nests 

 amongst those of Griifon Vultures, &c. In Southern Russia 

 hollow trees are said to be selected, the male bird keeping 

 watch on a branch while the female is sitting ; felled hollow 

 logs, and deserted nests of birds of prey are also utilized ; 

 and, according to Col. Prjevalsky, the female sometimes lays 

 her eggs in the fireplaces of villages abandoned by the 

 Mongols, becoming almost black with soot while sitting. 

 The eggs, from nine to sixteen in number, are laid on the 

 down plucked from the breast of the bird ; smooth, creamy- 

 white in colour, measuring about 2-6 by I'S in. The male 

 does not share the task of incubation, but afterwards he is 

 very assiduous in his attentions to the young. The female 

 is said to carry the nestlings to the water. 



The call-note, when uttered on the wing, is described by 

 Pallas as resembling a clarionet-like a-oung, whence the 

 name of Aangir given to the bird by the Mongols, who hold 

 it sacred ; and Ahngoof, by the natives of the vicinity of 

 Lake Van, in Armenia. According to a Hindoo legend, as 

 given by Jerdon, the birds represent two lovers talking to 

 each other across a stream at night — " Chakwa, shall I 

 come? No, Chakwi. Chakwi, shall I come ? No, Chakwa." 

 In confinement the note is a sort of Ay/jjc or ka, several 

 times repeated. In its manner of walking this species re- 

 sembles a Goose, and it feeds in a similar manner, grazing 

 in the fields of young corn, and picking up seeds of grass, 

 grain, &c. In summer the birds go in pairs, but at other 

 times they are gregarious, and Jerdon says that on the 

 Chilka Lake he has seen thousands in one flock in April. 



Mr. P. L. Sclater says that the Zoological Society received 

 a pair from Egypt in 1850, which bred for the first time in 

 1859, and from that year to 1874 inclusive, eleven broods 

 were hatched in the months of May and June (P. Z. S. 

 1880, p. 512). 



In the adult male in spring the beak is lead-colour ; the 

 irides yellowish-brown ; head, cheeks, and chin, buff-colour, 

 darkening to an orange-brown at the lower part of the neck : 



