78 INDIAN DUCKS 



There is a small colony of these geese in Algeria, and during 

 the recent campaign in Mesopotamia several observers have recorded 

 seeing goslings in that conntr_y, but, as far as I know, no nest was 

 ever seen by anyone. 



The l)reeding-season appears to commence very early in the 

 southern portions of its nesting range. Przewalski records its 

 arrival on its breeding-grounds in Southern Mongolia in the middle 

 of March and that in the valley of the Yellow River young birds 

 were nearly ready to fly in the end of -Tuly. In its more northern 

 haunts it will not be found breeding until April, whilst eggs may 

 be taken as late as the first two weeks in ^lay. 



As a rule the Grey Lag breeds in company, and many nests 

 may be found in a very small area where the birds are numerous. 

 They are most often placed on small grass- and reed-covered islands 

 in lakes and swamps, or on the shores of the same, either close to 

 or some distance from the water itself. The nest itself is some- 

 times built amongst, and well screened by, surrounding vegetation, 

 but sometimes, more especially where the birds are not so much 

 persecuted by men, it is placed quite in the open on short grass or 

 even moss, and is then quite visible for a great distance. It is a 

 bulky affair, being as much as, or move than, a foot in height and 

 nearly three times that in diameter at the base. The lining is 

 composed as usual of down from the bird's own breast. At first 

 this is very scanty but as incubation advances more and more, 

 down is added until at last it forms a very thick dense bed, almost 

 covering the eggs as they lie on it. The down is said to be used 

 by the birds for covering over the eggs when the goose leaves 

 them. 



The gander is credited with assisting in the piling up of the 

 nest-material and is said to be attentive enough to his wife during 

 the time she is sitting, but he takes no part in incubation and he 

 troubles himself little or not at all about the young after they 

 have hatched, either in regard to their feeding or safety. 



The goose is, on the contrary a most excellent mother, and 

 will go through all sorts of contortions and simulation of being 

 wounded in order to decoy intruders away from her young. 



Occasionally the Grey Lag builds on the grass-covered banks or 



