RHODONESSA CARYOPHVLLACEA 55 



are placed in the centre of tufts of tall grass, well hidden and difficult 

 to find, generally not more than 500 yards from water. They lay 

 from five to ten eggs in a nest. Both the male and female have heen 

 started simultaneously from the vicinity of the nest, but whether the 

 former assists in incubation is uncertain, though, judging from the 

 loss of weight during the breeding season, the male must be in 

 constant attendance at the nest. The weight of five males shot 

 between tlie 13th February and ^8th June, 1880, in consecutive 

 order, being : (1) 2 lbs. 3 ozs. (13th February) ; ('2) 1 lb. 14 ozs., 

 (3) 2 lbs., (i) 1 lb. 13 ozs., and (o) 1 lb. 12 ozs. (28th June). 



" When the young are fledged in September-October, the Pink- 

 Headers retire to their usual haunts in the jungly lagoons. 



" The following account, as indicating their strong attachment to 

 their young, may prove of interest. On the 17th July, 1880, whilst 

 searching for Pink-Headers' nests with F.H. at the northern extremity 

 of Patraha Patal, where nests were reported, we flushed a female 

 Pink-Header in the grass-jungle on the banks of the Patraha jhil. 

 F.H. fired with liis miniature express at a distance of about 300 

 yards at the bird, which had settled at the other end of the jhil. 

 The ball was seen to strike tiie water some distance above, and a 

 little to the left of the bird, which did not rise. Upon going up to 

 the spot, to our surprise she fluttered about and dragged herself along 

 with loud quackings. Being closely pursued, she flew along at an 

 elevation of about six feet from the ground in a manner that led us 

 to believe that she was badly wounded, and one of her wings 

 damaged, and she fell rather than settled in a patch of grass on dry 

 land. Upon approaching this a similar manceuvre was gone tiirough, 

 and she deposited herself some hundred yards further on. Having 

 decoyed us thus far, she flew up into the air with such a facility that 

 our old Mahout could not help exclaiming, ' pfair jeegya ' (it's come 

 to life again), and directed her flight in a direction away from the 

 piece of water. After describing a considerable circuit, she came 

 back to the jhil on the banks of which we were standing. Two more 

 bullets were fired at her from the same gun, which only made her 

 rise after each shot and settle down again some ten yards further on. 

 Seeing that lier tactics had failed in drawing us away from tlie 

 vicinity of her young, she again took to tlie grass-jungle, and all 

 endeavours to flush her again proved futile, though she was observed 

 in the same piece of water subsequently." 



All observers who have recorded their observations other\\ise thau 

 anonymously concur in stating this Duck to be one of enclosed 

 waters, and it seems to prefer such as are well covered with jungle 

 and weeds of sorts and surrounded by high grass, forest, etc. It is 



