304 THE FOOD OF BIRDS IN INDIA. 



almost complete extermination. Many do an enormous amount 

 of damage to young growing crops chiefly cereals. 



The three main divisions are the Swans, the Geese, and the 

 Ducks. 



The Swans are by no means of general occurrence in India in 

 fact being rare birds, and therefore of no agricultural importance. 

 They certainly never appear in numbers worth consideration. 



The Geese without exception appear to do a great deal of 

 damage to grain and other crops ; and this is not only due to the 

 fact that they feed on the grain and young growth, but they also 

 pull up the young plants, so preventing all chance of any after- 

 growth which would result if only the leaves were eaten off. Con- 

 siderable damage is also done by treading down the crops affected. 



Ducks. We have nothing definitely on record about the food 

 of ducks except in a generalized way. It is however evident 

 that little, if any, benefit is derived from them as far as their feed- 

 ing qualities are concerned. We can class none as beneficial, most 

 will at present come under the neutral heading and some are 

 apparently injurious to a greater or less extent. Amongst the 

 latter group we may specially mention the " Garganey " or 

 "Blue-winged Teal' 3 (Querquedula circia), the "Whistling 

 Teal" (Dzndrocycna javanica), and the 'Spotted-bill Duck' 

 (Anas pcecilorhyncha) all of which are said to do a great deal of 

 damage at times in paddy fields. One or two other species also 

 feed on paddy to a minor extent, especially " the Large Whistling 

 Teal " (D. fulva), the " Widgeon " (Mareca penelope), the'" Gad- 

 wall" (Ghaulelasmus streperus), the "Cotton Teal* (Neltopus 

 wromandelianus) , and the ' ' Brahminy duck" (Casarca rutila), 

 the two first being of the most importance, and many species 

 feed on young crops generally. 



It is also well to note that those species which are injurious 

 to crops are the best for food. 



Large numbers of Ducks are kept over in the hot weather in 

 * Tealeries/ see Hume and Marshall, III, 209, 



