38 INDIAN DUCKS 



water." Jerdon, however, did not think much of the bird as a 

 "progressionist," and Legge descri-bes their flight as heavy, and leads 

 one generally to the belief that he deemed the species rather an 

 awkward, clumsy bird — which it certainly is not. Tickell's remarks 

 in general on this bird vary so much from those recorded by other 

 people that they must be quoted nearly in full : — 



" I have met with these birds chiefly about West Burdwan, 

 Bankoora, Singbhoom, and Chota Nagpur, in open, uncultivated, 

 bushy country, or on a gravelly soil scattered over with small, clear 

 ponds or tanks, where they may be found in parties of four or five, 

 resting during the heat of the day on the clean pelibly or sandy 

 margins, and flying off, if disturbed, to the next piece of water. 

 Wherever found, they appear to prefer clear water, with a gravelly or 

 stony bottom, and are never found in shallow, muddy jliils or marshes, 

 wiiich attract such liosts of other kinds of wildfowl. They are wary, 

 and as they take to wing generally at a long-shot distance, and have 

 both skin and plumage exceedingly thick, it is difficult to kill them 

 with an ordinary fowling-piece ; and if winged on the water, they dive 

 so incessantly as to require the help of several people to catch them. 



" I have placed their eggs under domestic hens and ducks, and 

 hatched and reared the young birds easily, but they never became 

 thoroughly tame, and escaped on the first opportunity, though they 

 had, up to the time of their flight, fed readily with the poultry in the 

 yard. They ran and walked freely, and could perch on anything that 

 did not require to be grasped. It is an exceedingly silent bird — 

 indeed, I have never heard it utter any sound. They repose chiefl\' 

 on gravel beaches by the side of clear water. Their flight is high and 

 well sustained. At night they roam over the paddy stubble, and t 

 have found their stomachs full of rice during the harvest." 



Other people seem to have been more successful than Tickell in 

 domesticating this fine duck (or goose), and there are numerous 

 instances on record in which the bird has been readily and thoroughly 

 tamed. How a cross between this and any of the breeds of domestic 

 duck would answer is very problematical. Of course, the product 

 would be a bird of size and weight, but how about the flavour ? The 

 Nukhta is not a bird that finds favour with most people as an article 

 of food, though it makes very good soup and not bad curry ; and the 

 ducklings, when killed just after they have taken to the wing, are 

 quite delicate and good. 



Though Hume never found any grain except wild rice in the 



