The True Ducks. 237 



their tail-ends bolt upright, and the rest 

 of them hidden by the water. 



" They swim more lightly and they fly 

 far more easily and rapidly than the Grey 

 Duck or the Mallard. But like the former 

 they spring up with one bound from 

 land and water, at a rather sharp angle, 

 and usually rise thus for twenty yards 

 before sweeping off in a horizontal course. 

 Their wings are long and pointed, and 

 make in passing through the air a peculiar 

 whistling sound similar to, though louder 

 than, that made by the Common Teal, by 

 which they may be recognised as they 

 pass overhead in flight shooting." 



With reference to Mr. Hume's remark 

 that the Gadwall is essentially a fresh- 

 water species, Mr. J. D. Inverarity writes 

 in " Stray Feathers " : — " I have frequently 

 seen them in salt creeks on the other side 

 of the Bombay Harbour, and I shot one 

 out of a very large flock in a salt-water 

 creek close to the tank where I got the 

 Scaup on the same day." 



Mr. Hume continues : — " The quack of 

 the Gadwall is very much like that of the 

 Mallard, but weaker and sharper, and 

 more often uttered. They are more 

 talkative birds than either the Grey or 

 Common Wild Duck, and when feeding 



