114 Manual of the Game Birds of India. 



paddy-fields. It goes about in pairs 

 during the breeding season, but at other 

 times in flocks of all sizes, from half a 

 dozen to many hundreds. It is tame 

 and familiar unless very much harassed, 

 and is very easily shot. When disturbed 

 they often wheel several times round the 

 intruder and quickly settle down again. 



This Duck is very often observed 

 perching on some large bough of a tree, 

 especially during the nesting season, when 

 the male sits for hours near his mate, who 

 has her eggs \n the vicinity. They are at 

 all times fond of resting on trees, and 

 many roost on them at night. 



They are excellent swimmers and divers. 

 They feed, however, on the surface chiefly, 

 and they are quite as omnivorous as the 

 domestic Duck. Their cry is a double 

 whistle, and it is uttered both when rising 

 and during flight, especially when wheel- 

 ing round and round. 



The nest of the Small Whistling Duck 

 is placed in a variety of situations. In 

 Lower Burma, although there were many 

 suitable trees about, I found the nests 

 invariably built on the thick, matted cane- 

 brakes and bushes which are often allowed 

 to grow between paddy-fields which have 

 only recently come under cultivation. 



