21-2 INDIAN DUCKS 



acquire. A', nlhignlarr differs from botli these l>irds in having the 

 sides of the head darker and more uniform in colour and the darker 

 streaks in the feathers obsolete; but the main difference lies in the 

 Andaman Teal having the white ring round the eye, and the first 

 secondary broadly edged with white. 



There is a good plate of Netfinn alhigulare in the British Museum 

 catalogue, and on the same plate is shown the head of X. f/ibhn-ifn}iis, 

 thus giving a comparison between the two birds. 



Nidification. — For a long time the only note on the nidification 

 on the Andaman Teal was the one in ' Nests and Eggs ' quoted in 

 all other works. It is : — 



" Very little is yet known of the breeding of this species. I have 

 only one note of its nidification, and one egg, l)oth of which I owe 

 to Captain Winiherley. 



" The nest was found in August ; it was composed of grass, and 

 was placed in a paddy-field near Port Mouat, the only locality witli 

 which we are yet acquainted in tlie group where this species is always 

 to be met witli. 



" The egg is typical, a very perfect broad oval in shape, with a 

 very close-grained, smootli shell, devoid of gloss, and of a uniform 

 delicate cream -colour. 



" It measures r93 x r43 inches." 



From what we know now of this bird's breeding habits it seems 

 possible that this was a whistling teal's nest. 



The following further note from Mr. Osmaston, whilst it curiously 

 coincides as far as the eggs go with Hume, is absolutely contradictory 

 to the latter as regards the description of the nest. Mr. Osmaston 

 writes : — 



" The Oceanic Teal arrive in Port Blair in large numbers towards 

 the end of May, wiiere they remain until October or November. 



" In the winter months they fre(iuent outlying fresh-water jhils 

 such as are found near Craggy Island, North Reef Island, Niell, the 

 Brothers Templegany, and other places. They breed, as far as my 

 experience goes, invariably in holes in lofty and often dead trees, and 

 the eggs are therefore very difficult to procure. 



" A man brought me down ten eggs from near the top of a 

 Padouk-tree on August 4th. They were nearly fresh. 



" They are rather long elliptical ovals, cream-coloured, and much 

 discoloured. They vary in length from r86 to 2'02 inches and in 

 lireadth from 1'40 to I'l?, the average of nine eggs being l'9;:f by 

 1'43 inches." 



