SARKIDIORNIS. 175 



o'clock. They feed exclusively on tender shoots of grass, and do much 

 damage to the sprouting corn crops, especially in the neighbourhood of the 

 Munchur, also in Lower Sind. Taking Upper India (including Sind), Hume 

 says — "This species enormously outnumbers all the other species of Geese 

 put together." I think at least five of the Barred-heads visit India to every one 

 of the Grey Lags, and as for all the rest of the Geese, they are apparently so 

 rare, that when one comes to consider numbers, they are not worth speaking 

 about. * * * Their habits are similar to those of the Grey Lags. Where 

 frequently disturbed they feed inland only at night ; where rarely molested they 

 will be found feeding up to eight or nine in the morning and again long before 

 sunset. Preferentially they feed in fields in the neighbourhood of the larger 

 rivers, browsing on the young wheat, vetches, lentils, &c. They are not dif- 

 ficult to bag, especially in localities where they are not disturbed by shooting. 

 Walking besides a pony, or bullock, one can always get within 35 or 40 yards 

 of a flock, and bag at least a dozen birds with a couple of effective shots. In 

 localities which have been frequently shot over the birds are very wary, and 

 unless there is plenty of cover a buffalo or pony becomes a necessity," In 

 such cases," as Mr. Hume says, "it is best to make sure of your one or two 

 birds on the ground with the first shot, as you will seldom have time for more 

 than one shot after they rise." Mr. Hume, in his Ga?ne Birds of India, gives 

 many hints as to shooting geese and wild fowl generally. The habits of the 

 Duck tribe and the various methods adopted for netting them are very 

 interesting, and of much value to sportsmen generally. 



Family, h^KTlBM.— Vigors. 



Bill flat and broad, laminated at the sides; food insects and tender aquatic 

 plants, which they obtain in shallow muddy places. 



Sub-Family, PLECTROPTERIN.E.— (P. R. Gray. 



Billlong and broad, tip horny; knee and above bare; tarsi with squarish 

 scales ; hind toe long ; wing with one or more spurs on the shoulder ; a fleshy 

 carbuncle at base of upper mandible ; plumage glossy black. 



Gen. Sarkidiornis.— ^/(^«. 



Characters those of the Sub-Family ; ist and 2nd primaries sub-equal and 

 longest. 



216. Sarkidiornis melanonotus, P^nn. in Forst. Jnd. Zool. 



p. 21, pi, II ; Newton, Sir, F. viii. p. 415. Sarcidiornis melanonota, Jerd., 

 B. hid. iii. p, 785; Hume, Nests and Eggs Ltd. B. p. 636; Blyth, B. Btirm. 

 p. 165; Htime and Marsh., Game Birds iii. p, 91, pi.; Legge, B. Ceylon^ 

 p. 1063; Oaies, B. Br. Burm. iii. p. 275; Murray, Veri. Zool., Sind, 

 p. 286; id., Avif. Brit. Ind. ii. p. 677, No. 1379. — The Comb Duck. 



