160 Manual of the Game Birds of India. 



rising when hard pressed, but they are 

 very wary when in flocks. I could learn 

 nothing about the breeding of this species. 

 The only note I have heard them utter 

 is a low whistle, and this apparently only 

 at night when they are feeding." 



Mr. Hume adds the following remarks : 

 " In the day time you commonly see 

 them in pairs, occasionally in flocks of 

 from twenty to thirty, high up in some 

 densely mangrove-bordered creek, where 

 the water is fresh ; but at night they leave 

 these, and collecting in moderate-sized 

 flocks, resort to fresh-water ponds or 

 paddy fields to feed. When wounded it 

 sometimes dives most vigorously, not in- 

 deed remaining long under water, but by 

 no means getting soon exhausted. On the 

 contrary, it will often compel you to fire 

 a second shot before you retrieve it. 

 It swims well, and runs through the 

 jungle at a great pace. Its flight appears 

 to be fairly rapid, but they are seldom 

 seen on the wing except at night, and 

 then it is difficult to judge accurately of 

 this. 



"They are not, I should say, wild or 

 wary birds ; they do not leave a place 

 at the first shot, and Davison has got 

 as many as eight by successive shots out 



