CEYLON WATER BIRDS. 335 
coverts, the wing quills, tail, lower back, and rump brownish- 
black. The lower parts are ferruginous, shading on the upper 
breast to yellowish-brown, and on the vent to whitish. 
Females are similar, but slightly paler on the under parts. 
Young birds have the under parts uniformly dull pale brown. 
Bill, legs, and feet brownish-blue ; iris brown ; eyelids yellow. 
Length 17; wing 7°5; tail 2:2; tarsus 1°75; bill from 
gape 2. 
Distribution —Abundant in most parts of the low-country. 
Occurs almost throughout India and Burma, extending east- 
wards to China and the Dutch East Indies. 
Habits—Found on almost every tank in the dry zone of 
the low-country, and on marshes, weedy backwaters, and 
flooded paddy fields in parts of the wet zone where there are 
no tanks. The birds move about a good deal, and appear to 
be commonest during the rains of the north-east monsoon. 
It is probable that many of the birds seen then are migrants 
from Southern India. At that time of year I have heard 
whistling from flocks passing over Colombo during the night. 
This species is very fond of roosting and perching on the dead 
branches of trees near water. Its cry is a peculiar whistling 
uttered while on the wing. It breeds mostly in the early 
part of the year, but if the weather conditions and water 
supply are favourable, it will breed right on to June, or even 
August. The nest may either be formed by beating down a 
small circle of reeds, rushes, or grass in swampy ground, or 
consist of a scanty lining of grass and feathers placed in the 
angle made by the junction of a large bough with the stem of 
a tree standing in the water. The eggs are broad, almost 
regular ovals, white and smooth, but not glossy. They 
measure about 1°89 by 1°49, and the full clutch varies from 
seven to twelve, or even more. 
DrENDROCYGNA FULVA (Branford, Vol. IV., p. 432 ; 
Legge, p. 1226a). 
The Large Whistling Teal. 
Description.—This bird is, in general, similar to the last 
species, but considerably larger, rather darker on the upper 
parts, and has the following differences: there is a black 
8 6(7)17 
