The Pink-headed Ducks. 291 



think they could be easily domesticated, 

 for the bird seems exactly like the 

 Mallard, except in size and plumage. I 

 have never met with the bird far from 

 these plains, and I remarked its absence 

 when shooting at the foot of the Himalaya 

 lowest ranges in the north of Purneah. 

 The taste of this Duck when cooked is 

 inferior ; indeed, I prefer every other 

 Duck save the Shoveller to it, and 

 consider it worse than the Brahminy 

 Duck or Whistling Teal. 



" There are many reasons why the 

 Pink-headed Duck is not well known. 

 One I have just given, viz., that it is 

 poor on the table ; another is that it is 

 never very numerous nor goes in flocks ; 

 the native shikarrie can never kill a lot 

 at one shot, nor net a large number. 

 The sahib can never get many shots in 

 one day, nor is his prize when gained so 

 valuable to him as the other Ducks, 

 which are so much more numerous, and 

 so much better to eat. It does not 

 associate much with other Ducks, but 

 keeps rather to itself, and seldom is seen 

 flying to the feeding-ground before sunset, 

 but stays all day in the pools, where 

 it lives till disturbed. But if a person 

 residing in Purneah, Bhaugulpur, or 



