I6T 



1 . 255. Le graml Pliįvier, Buft"., PI. Enl, 919. Great-headed 



Tliick-knee. 

 There is no visible difference between the Dukhun and British 

 species. Eyes of very great size. Irides very broad, of a 

 greenish yellow. Length, inclusive of tail, 17 to 18 inchesj 

 tail 4|^ inclies. Gregarious. Freąuents bushy wilds as vvell 

 as grass plains. Not met with in vvoods. Land insects and 

 seeds found in the stomach. Sexes do not differ in size or 

 plumage. This bird rests on the first joint of the leg likę the 

 Gailus giganteus. 



Order v. NATATORES, IU. 



Fam. Jnatida, Leach.: — Genus Plectrcpterus , Leach. 



213. Pledropterus melanotos, Steph., 12. 8. Anas melanotos, Gvae]., 

 1. 503. L'Oie bronzee de Coromandel, BufF., PI, Enl. 937. 

 Black and tvhite Plectropterus. Nitkta of the Mahrattas. 

 The very large vertical compressed process on the upper man- 

 dible; the white lower part of tlie back; cinereous rump; and 

 rudiraentarj' black mane dovvn the back neck are not noticed 

 in deseriptions of this species. This noble and splendid bird 

 is not coinmon in the Dukhun. Feniale considerably less in 

 size than the malė, and \vith the metallic reflections much less 

 briiliant ; destitute also of the comb or crest on the upper 

 mandible. Seen in pairs, Horny process on the bend of the 

 wing obtuse. Length, inclusive of tail, 30 to 3i inches ; tail 

 5^ to 6 inches. Seeds of water-grasses, and the remarkable 

 quadrangular hard seeds met with in the stomach of the Pte- 

 rocles e.i'ustus found also in the stomach of the Plectropterus. 

 Digastric musele of the remarkable thickness of 1 ,V inch. 



Genus Anser, Briss. 

 214'. Anser Girra. Anas Girra, Gray, Indian Zool. Illust. No. 4. 

 fig. 6. Girra Teal, Lath. Cotton Teal of Europeans in 

 Dukhun, from the quantity of \vhite in the plumage. 

 Irides bright crimson. 



This handsome bird is one of the smallest of the Anatidce. 

 Length, inclusive of tail, 12^ to 14 inches; tail 3 to 3į inches. 

 Sexes exactly alike. Monogamous. Vegetable matter and 

 gravel found in the stomach. These birds, \vhen wounded, 

 dive, and on returning to the surface shovv only the bill above 

 water, keeping the body below at pleasure. 



Genus Tadorna, Leach. 



2J5. Tadorna rutilą, Steph., 12. 71. Anas Casarca, Linn., App. 3. 



224. Shieldrake. jBn<AmM«y DmcA- of Europeans in Dukhun. 



Irides yellovvish brown. Length, inclusive oftail, malė 28 inches, 



female 25 to 26 inches ; tail 5į inches. For the most part of 



the year these birds are in pairs ; but on the Nerbudda river in 



Guzerat, Colonel Sykes has seen them congregated in hun- 



dreds in April. Found in the stomachs of many birds, grass 



seeds and vegetable matters only. The female is destitute of 



