DENDROCYCNA JAVANICA 123 



bill in some having a greater extent of plumbeous, in others black ; the 

 membrane between the rami of the lower mandible is generally pinkish." 

 {Humr.) 



Measurements.— Length IG to 17'5 inches, wing G'92 to H'Oi, tail aliout 

 2'5 to 3, tarsus 1"6 to 1'92, bill from gape 17 to 2"0(;. 



"Length about 18 inches, wing 8, tail 2, bill at front 1;, tarsus li, 

 midtoe 2f." (Jerdon.) 



Weight about 1 lb. to 1 lb. 6 oz., the latter weight unusual. 



Female. — Like the male, but perhaps averaging smaller. 



The Young. — " When just able to &y, do not differ very much from the 

 adult, but are everywhere duller coloured. The margins to tlie feathers of 

 the interscapulary region are inconspicuous and dingy fulvous, and the 

 entire lower surface a rather pale, dull, fulvous-brown." {Hume.) 



Young in Down: — " The colour nearly jet black, a white eyebrow and a 

 very conspicuous white patch on the back of the head ; a white patch at 

 the wings and two other white patches on either side of the lower back 

 and rump." {Liccsci/.) 



Distribution. — There are few places in India where this very 

 common bird ma>' not be found, but outside our limits it does not 

 extend very far. It is obtained throughout the Indo-Chinese 

 countries and Siam, and in the Loochoo Islands, the Malay Penin- 

 sula, Sumatra, Borneo, and Java. Mr. C. B. Eickett obtained a 

 specimen near Sharp Peak, close to Foochow, and it has been 

 obtained on one or two other occasions in China. The bird shot 

 by Mr. Rickett was killed in November. 



The specimen said to have been brought home from Lake Tchad, 

 in Central Africa, seems to have been recorded as the result of some 

 mistake. 



Nidification. — Normally and typically both our Indian Dendrocijaise 

 build nests on trees, or lay their eggs in their hollows ; often they 

 make use of the deserted nests of other birds, and sometimes they 

 build nests on or near the ground, in reeds, grass, or other bushes. 

 The recorded and authenticated instances of the Common Whistling- 

 Teal laying its eggs in nests placed on the ground are, however, 

 fairly numerous. 



Barnes, in vol. i of the B.N.H.S. Journal, recorded the fact that 

 in Neemuch he never found their nests on trees, but always amongst 

 rushes growing on the edges of l)anks. 



Gates, in 'Birds of British Burmah,' says that he has "frequently 



