CiiAis. XI it XU, 5g 



vAitAs. :',l \ :{±1 



keep rising in ones and two.-^, giving the impression that 

 tlicy aro only consorting in pairs or very small flocks, 

 and of conrse many single l)irds and pairs ari' really 

 met with. 



Tufted Dack. — 'Where suitable pieces of water are to 

 be found, writes Stn(tit-B<iker, the Tufted Pochard may be 

 obtained in no inconsiderable numbers ; at the same tin.e 

 it is unusual to find them in any but small pai'ties and 

 pairs, and single birds are to be met with more often than 

 even sueli. Sometimes however they do consort in very 

 large numbers, vide Hume, wlio says " single Inrds or 

 small parties may be found on any broads in which the 

 water is tolerably deep in some places, but the huge flocks 

 in which tliey love to congregate are only met with on 



tlie large lakes At the Manchar Lake I once saw two 



enormous flocks. I have repeatedly seen similar flocks in 

 old times at the Najafgarh and other vast jfietls in the 

 Panjab, the North-West Provinces and Oudh, and I sliould 

 guess that at the Kunkrowli Lake in Odeypore there must 

 have been nearly ten thousand, coveiing the whole 

 centre of the lake. Such flocks as those, comvipnts 

 Stuart- Bn/cer, are oidv to l)e met with in the Pro- 

 vinces mentioned : in the eastern piovinces a flock of 

 forty is very large and a])out all we may expect to meet 

 with. 



SUMMARY, KEY 17. 



'As seen oa big waters in Upper India.) 

 A — Bi(/ Flockx of One. Hundred, nr Over. 



Cjrarganey Teal. 

 Marliled Duck. 

 Red crested Pochard. 

 The Pochard. 



Gadwall, 

 Common Teal. 

 Widgeon 

 Pintail 



Tufted Duck. 

 B^Sm'iU Hocks. 

 Spotbill (sometimes in pairs). 

 Mallard (often very small parties). 

 Shoveller (often pairs and singly \ 

 Wliitc-f'ycd DiK'k (often pairs. and singly 



CHAPTER XII. 



Notes and Cries. 



Distinctive *^^' '^^^^ Ducks appear to have three main modes of 



notes or cries. H.\])ression, viz., a feeding note, or chatter ; an alarm-note 



(, vfy IS.) ,^jj^j ^ call -note. The man in the butt will not hear nuudi 



of any of these, except ])erliaps the second, as liidden 



birds first r-ii>e in fright at the opening of fire or nervously- 



