Birds of Madagascar. 263 



to take by surprise, for they swim and dive with great swift- 

 ness, and their fliglit is extremely rapid. Their piercing and 

 whistling cry, nttered constantly when flying, consists of the 

 By\\ah\es, pyswy, pyswy. They attach themselves quickly to 

 the places where they are fed ; for instance, those kept in 

 the Acclimatization Gardens at St. Denis, Reunion, are per- 

 fectly free, and do not fail to rei)air every evening to the 

 sea-shore, yet they return every morning to the ponds where 

 they are fed." This bird builds its nest on the hills among 

 the grass, and the young are taken to the water as soon as 

 hatched. 



The Dwarf Goose, says M. Pollen, has a heavy flight, with 

 none of the rapidity of the other Wild-fowl ; but it is an 

 excellent sm irniner and diver, remaining all day on the water, 

 except during the great heat, when it perches on the trees. 

 These birds are extremely shy, and when alarmed dive imme- 

 diately, only to reappear at a considerable distance, so that 

 it is very difiicult to catch them. Of this bird, however, 

 Mr. Cory remarks : " Of all the Ducks I know, it is the 

 hardest to shoot, on account of the pace at which it flies.'^ 

 And Mr. W. Wilson also says : " I always thought their 

 flight was rapid, anyhow they are very difficult to shoot. 

 This bird, apparently known elsewhere as Vdrontsara (^ Hand- 

 some-bird'), is more often called at Itasy Tatatsiry, and in 

 Imerina Voronandnana ('Royal-bird'), this latter name 

 being probably given on account of the gorgeous markings 

 on the neck and body of the bird." 



Mr. Wilson says : " The Tsiriry is certainly the commonest 

 water-bird. On the marshes and ponds near Manandaza I 

 have seen as many as 500 together. Probably from the 

 swarms of this bird in that district arises its name of Betsiriry 

 ('Many-Tsiriry')." 



Mr. Wilson also remarks ; " The Faralambotra, or Red- 

 billed Wild Duck, which is peihaps the most tender of all 

 the Ducks for eating, is sometimes termed the Sadakely, 

 but more probably from ignorance than anything else. This 

 bird is s[)ecially sought after round Antanslnarivo for the 

 Queen's tabic. All Her Majesty's birds must be shot with 



