The Grey Ducks. 153 



frequently drowned among the weeds. 

 The food of the Grey Duck consists 

 chiefly of vegetable matter, grain, grass, 

 and the roots of water-plants, and also 

 insects, worms, and small frogs. 



With regard to the notes of the Grey 

 Duck Messrs. Hume and Marshall 

 observe : — " Their voices, both w^hen 

 chattering to each other when at rest or 

 feeding, and when uttering their quacks 

 of alarm, closely resemble those of the 

 Mallard, but may always be distinguished 

 by a somewhat greater sharpness ; they 

 are not so sonorous, but they seem to be 

 emitted with greater force." 



Mr. Hume met with this Duck in 

 Manipur, and found it so tame that it is 

 worth while to quote his experiences. 

 He says : — "This is the Duck of Manipur, 

 common in every pond and jheel, and in 

 many mere ditches fifteen or twenty feet 

 wide, and excessively abundant and very 

 tame on the Logtak lake. While the 

 rest of the wild fowl at the lake were 

 exceptionally wild, the Grey Ducks were 

 tamer than I have ever seen them else- 

 where. As a rule they only swam a little 

 out of the way of the boats, and very 

 seldom, if ever, dreamt of rising unless 

 these approached within thirty yards of 



