The Pink-headed Ducks. 289 



gun, and fortunately was able to get close 

 and bag two. After this I was always on 

 the look-out, and shot numbers of them 

 before I left that part of Bengal. 



"Dr. Jerdon visited me while I was 

 stationed at Purneah, and told me he had 

 never seen the bird alive, and that the 

 picture in his illustrations was drawn from 

 a dried skin. I promised to show him and 

 get him some specimens, and I did so 

 in this wise. We were both at a shooting- 

 party given by that hospitable planter 

 and owner of Kolassy, so well known and 

 liked in Purneah, and were shooting with 

 a long line of elephants, looking for that 

 wonderful tiger which is always there 

 when no one has a gun or wants him, 

 and always somewhere else when made 

 an object of special pursuit. In default 

 of this tiger we shot buffaloes, deer, 

 Floriken, and Partridges, and shouted at 

 hogs which were reserved for the spear. 

 Whilst going on I marked a small party 

 of Pink-headed Ducks into one of the 

 pools I have described, and immediately 

 told Jerdon that if he would leave the 

 party and come with me I thought I 

 could get a nice shot at his long-coveted 

 birds. So we took four^ elephants and 

 started. 



VOL. ii. 19 



