other members of its family. It represents the race from which our 
domestic duck was taken. So that high living and low thinking, or 
high thinking and low living, which-ever you please, does not seem 
to have improved the looks of our homely drake. 
(960) ANAS CARYOPHYLLACEA, Pink-head Duck, is also a beautiful 
coloured bird, perhaps one of the richest marked ducks we have. 
They visit the plains in fair numbers during the cold weather. When 
it is frequently met with, in marshy parts of the Terai, and Chullen 
Beel, also perhaps in bigger numbers at. Karagola Ghat. They seem 
to have a preference for more secluded corners of jhils, which are 
overgrown with tall grasses and reeds, or swimming, in the night 
about centre of a broad expanse of water. Ducks and geese often 
betake themselves, for safety, to the middle of ponds or lakes at 
night, where they can snooze with impunity. A few of these ducks 
breed in the plains ; but their nests are difficult to find. In size 
they are similar to mallards, but, they have longer tarsi, which is 
more noticeable when near. When flying, they are usually, made- 
out by the roseate colour below the wings. Drake has a pretty 
rosy pink head and neck, with a bright coloured crest, during the 
rainy season ; body and wings are dark, glossy chocolate brown ; 
speculum or wing patch is salmon coloured. 
(961) CHAULELASMUS STREPERUS, Gadwall, is well distributed 
throughout the plains of India, and is much sought after by  sports- 
men, owing to well flavored meat it offers. On more than one 
occasion, I have seen smallish flocks of these birds on Big Runjeet, 
some on the sandy bends, others on the rivers. Usually they seem 
to prefer more open country to secluded nooks and corners. Once 
fairly on the wing their flight is strong and systematic. The Gad- 
wall is about 20 inches in length ; bill is depressed slightly narrow- 
ing towards the tip, nail small, long and delicate lamellx ; tail is 
longish ; wings longish ; bill brown with a reddish tinge ; irides 
brown ; legs orange. Colour of plumage, above, is dark brown on 
the back, with white circular lines ; upper tail-coverts, black with a 
bluish gloss ; tail brownish ash ; lesser wing-coverts grey ; middle 
coverts chesnut ; greater coverts black; wing spot white ; breast 
dark brown with white roundish lines; under parts of the body 
white speckled grey. 
(962) Darina acuta, Pintail Duck. This is perhaps one of the 
best known birds in the plains. They are winter visitants. Game 
stalls in the markets are seldom without a few batches hanging up 
for sale. Consequently you can take your choice of making their 
acquaintance is either the former or latter state. Pintail Duck 
