334 SPOLIA ZEYLANICA. 
CASARCA RUTILA (Blanford, Vol. IV., p. 428). 
TADORNA CASARCA (Legge, pp. 1070 and 1222). 
The Brahminy Duck. 
Description.—Male : head and neck creamy-buff, darkenings 
to orange on the lower neck, which is encircled by a narrow 
blackish ring. This ring disappears in the winter months. 
The upper and lower body plumage is mainly fox-red or orange- 
brown ; the lower back and rump are vermiculated with 
black ; the upper tail coverts, tail, and wing quills black, the 
secondary quills being metallic green, glossed with bronze on 
the outer webs; the inner tertiaries fox-red on the outer web 
and gray on the inner; wing coverts whitish-buff; wing 
lining white. 
Females are smaller and duller, have whitish heads, and 
never assume the black collar. 
Bill, legs, and feet blackish ; iris dark brown. 
Length 26; wing 14°6; tail 5°5; tarsus 2-5; bill from 
gape 2°2. Females: length 23; wing 13. 
Distribution.—A rare winter visitor to the lagoons on the 
north coast from Mannar to Mullaittivu. This is a migratory 
species, breeding from Southern Europe and Northern Africa 
to Thibet, and wintering southward. It is a winter visitor to 
India and parts of Burma. 
Habits.—This species is partly vegetarian, eating grass and 
green crops. The birds generally associate in pairs, but 
occasionally gather into flocks. During the day time they 
usually sit on the sand by the edge of the water, and are not 
often seen swimming. They are good walkers. In India 
they mainly frequent the banks of rivers. 
DENDROCYGNA JAVANICA (Blanford, Vol. IV., p. 430 ; 
Legge, p. 1069). 
The Whistling Teal. 
Description.—Forehead, crown, and nape brown, darkest 
on the nape ; sides of head and neck fulvous gray, becoming 
almost white on the throat and chin ; back and scapulars dark 
brown, each feather with a rufous tip ; the upper tail coverts 
and most of the wing coverts deep maroon ; the greater wing 

