68 INDIAN DUCKS 



natural state. The British Museum possesses five eggs of ^l^.r gnleri- 

 culata, which measure •2"2 X 1'6 inches, 'IV) X l'-'J4, I'V) X I'B, 

 '2'08 X l'5(j, and 2'16 X 1'52. In shape these eggs are very regular 

 ellipses, and slightly compressed at one end. The texture is smooth 

 and close and distinctly glossy, and the colour is a very pale fawn 

 or yellowish-white. One egg was originally, perhaps, rather darker 

 in colour than the rest, hut is so soiled that it is difficult to say with 

 any certainty. All these eggs were laid by birds in captivity. The 

 eggs in my own collection agree well with these, but are rather more 

 clearly coloured, perhaps because fresher when blown. Their 

 dimensions agree with those given above. 



General Habits. — Mr. A. Stevens, who shot the only Indian speci- 

 men ever obtained which is now in the Tring Museum, tells me, 

 in cpistold, how he managed to get it. He writes : — 



" Early one dull morning I went in a dug-out down the Diln'u river 

 on a collecting trip. The Dibru, then very low, is a small stream 

 varying between twenty and fifty yards wide, here and there dotted 

 with sandy banks and islands, and for the most part densely covered 

 with jungle down to the water's edge. Twice single specimens of 

 Asarcornis scutuhita (the White-winged Wood-Duck) passed down 

 tlie river on the way to their favourite haunt and held fortli hopes of 

 something good to be had later on, I had gone some two miles do\Yn 

 the river, and had come to a place where it widened out and then 

 divided into two branches. Here there was a small sandy chur 

 (bank), and on this I saw six ducks, but what they were I was still 

 too far off to determine. Four of the ducks were close together, two 

 a little apart, but all six appeared to me to be exactly identical in 

 size and colouration. Selecting the two birds which were the nearer 

 to me, I fired both barrels at them, upon which all six birds rose and 

 flew ahead. I was certain, however, that my shot had told, nor was 

 I wrong, for one bird, after flying some forty yards, dropped into the 

 water. Picking the bird up I at once recognized that it was some- 

 thing new to me, but at the same time had no idea of the value of 

 what I had got. Consequently, although I repeatedly flushed the 

 pair to this bird, I made no attempt to shoot it, even though it got 

 up well within range and gave me easy shots. 



" The birds, when first flushed, flew away strong and low, but 

 the single bird which I afterwards put up reminded me of the stupid 

 performance of the Little Green Bittern {Bittorides javanica) in the 

 way it flew from the bank and across and down stream, only instead 

 of selecting a small tree to perch on, ho always managed to drop into 



