ANAS PCECir.ORHYNCHA PCECILORU VNCHA 161 



Female Adult.— Similar to the male, Init smaller and jjerhaps rather 

 jialer in colouration. 



Colour of soft parts.— Legs and feet duller red than in the male, as also 

 are the spots on the bill. " Wing about 10 inches." {Salcadori .) 



Measurements.— ■' Length 22-0 to 24'0 inches, wing S'O to 107, tail 

 from vent 4''J to 5"3, tarsus 17 to 1'9, bill from gape 2'3 to 2'o. 

 Weight 1 11). 14 ozs. to 2 lbs. 12 ozs." (Ilumc.) 



The average length of the wing for botli sexes is 10'60 inches and of 

 the l)ill 214. 



Young. — Resemble the adults, but have no red spots at the base of the 

 bill and have the feet coloured orange to brick-red. The general plumage 

 is ligliter, the spots fewer in number and less in size, the breast being spotted 

 witli white. 



Tliere appears to be no record of any post-nuptial change in the plumage 

 of tlie drake of this species, and enquiries made on this subject elicit no 

 evidence to siiow that there is such a change. 



Blanford (in Joe. cit.) shows that the male has twenty rectrices, whereas 

 the female has but eighteen. This is very remarkable, and it is to be hoped 

 that other observers will note the number of rectrices in both male and 

 female, so as to ascertain whether the difference is constant. 



Distribution. — The Spotted-billed Duck is found practically 

 throughout India. It does not seem to have been recorded from 

 South Konkan ; but as it occurs in Ceylon, it would naturally be 

 almost sure to appear more or less frequently in the South Konkan 

 also. It is also found in western and South Assam, Cachar, Sylhet 

 and possibly Aracan. It has once been shot in Kashmir. 



Nidification. — Hume says : — 



" The breeding-season varies a gi'eat deal with the locality. In 

 the North-west Provinces, Oudh, and the Eastern portions of 

 Eajputana and the Punjab, it only breeds, so far as I yet know, once a 

 year, laying during the latter half of July, August and the first half of 

 September. In Bind it lays in April and May, and again in September 

 and October. In Guzerat it certainly lays in October and in Mysore 

 in November and December, though whether in these two last-named 

 provinces it has also a second brood, I have not yet ascertained." 



In Sehore Whitehead saw tiny ducklings in November. 



In Bengal I think it lays principally in July and August ; but a 



few birds are earlier, and these may have a second brood, for nests 



have been taken as late as October. On the huge bheels extendmg 



over the whole of the north of Mymensingh and Sylhet these birds 



11 



