200 INDIAN DUCKS 



Taczanowski thus describes a clutch of eggs sent him by Dybowski 

 from Darasan, where this teal breeds in numbers : — 



" The> are somewhat larger than those of the Gargauey ; their 

 colour is a pale greyish-green, very like that of the eggs of the 

 mallard. Tlie>- vary from about 1'8 to I'J inches in length, and 

 from about 1'3 to f '4 in breadth." 



General Habits. — Information of this duck's habits is meagre in 

 the extreme and I can find practically nothing of interest. 



Its Hight is said to be swift and teal-like, but instead of, like 

 the Common Teal, flying at great heights when on migration, it 

 flies low and close to the surface of the country. This habit of flight, 

 however, is probably only a distinctive feature as the Clucking Teal 

 approaches its destination, for I'rjevalsk)- writes : — 



" When migrating these ducks fly very low, following the plains 

 which abound with lakes, and as soon as one is perceived which is 

 not frozen, they at once settle down on it." 



Most noticeable of all its characteristics is the voice. These teal 

 are, especially tlie drakes, noisy birds, constantly uttering a strident, 

 chicking call, like the syllable " mok " repeated very quickly. I have 

 heard their cry likened to the Cotton-Teal's, as uttered by the latter 

 bird when flying, but far louder and more distinctly syllabized. 



The voice has also been likened to that of an old hen, and a con- 

 signment of these birds kept on board a vessel from Shanghai made 

 a noise continuously, so much like a number of fowls that the 

 passengers would hardly believe that the clucking came from the 

 throat of any duck. 



As a rule, it would appear that it is an inland bird, keeping 

 much to the swamps and morasses, or to rivers, and less often to 

 large open sheets of water. In Japan and Formosa it has been seen 

 on the sea-coast, in tidal creeks, and, I believe, even on the sea-shore 

 itself. 



It is a shy bird and difticult of approach as a rule, but appears 

 to become less so during the breeding season. Euddle says that he 

 saw in company, "in a small morass above the Udir rivulet. Amis 

 boscJtas, A. crccca, A. ijlocifaiis, A. ch/pvata, A. acuta, and a few of 

 .1. pcnclopc, sitting quietly close together after a meal, resting." 



