34 INDIAN DUCKS 



these were very lofty trees, and wherever there was sufficient dry 

 land, others were dotted about between the pools. 



On my approaching the open, two Nukhtas flew from one of the 

 trees, uttering their loud calls repeatedly. Instead, however, of 

 flying straight away, they continued to fly round in great excitement, 

 and refused to leave the place, even after I had fired at and missed 

 a deer. 



Nidification. — The Comb-Duck is one of those which almost 

 invariably resort to trees for nesting purposes, as a rule making a 

 rough nest of grass and a few sticks in some large natural hollow of 

 a big tree, generally at no great height from the ground. Sometimes, 

 however, they build their nests in the forks of the larger limbs, 

 especially when three or four such branch out together from the 

 trunk itself. Occasionally, they seem, like the whistling-teal and 

 the mallard, to make use of other birds' nests, for Mr. A. Anderson 

 found some eggs in the nest of a Haliaetiis leucorijplius which he 

 believes to have been laid by a Nukhta. Captain G. T. L. Marshall 

 also found an egg of Sarcidioniis in the nest of Dissura episcopa. 



The only nest I have taken myself in North Cachar was placed 

 in a large tree standing by the edge of a small swamp, the latter 

 completely covered with dense ekra and grass, except for a few feet 

 all round the edge, and, even there, short weeds and water-plants 

 almost hid the water from sight. The nest, which was rather a 

 large one, of sticks roughly lined with grass, was placed in a hollow 

 between where the first large boughs sprang from the bole of the 

 tree. It was not ten feet from the ground, but the boughs were so 

 massive, and so well enclosed the nest that I visited the pool, stood 

 under the trees, and saw the parent bird several times before I 

 noticed where it was. It contained three large eggs, just like those 

 described by Hume, with a beautiful texture, reminding one, when 

 touched with the finger, of the eggs of the barbets and frogmouths, 

 possessing the same satiny feeling which is so uncommon outside 

 the families mentioned. In colour the eggs are nearly white, and 

 have a fine gloss when freshly laid, but they soil very quickly, and 

 are then difficult to clean again. 



A most interesting exception to the general nesting-habits of 

 this bird is given by E. H. Aitken in the ' Bombay Journal ' (in 

 loc. cit.) ; he writes : — 



