on the Birds of South-eastern China. 381 



Ducks. Although associating at times with other species 

 they have a tendency to keep to themselves. 



Peregrine Falcons were observed to feed almost exclusively 

 on the Teal, as they also do in northern China. 



Dafila acuta. 



Near Canton the Pintails select a shallow backwater in 

 Avhich to doze away their daylight hours, and although this 

 is close to the main river, where a continual stream of 

 steamers of all sizes and junks innumerable passes all the 

 time, the Ducks are entirely undisturbed by it. Their 

 habitual caution, however, is never laid aside, for should 

 an attempt be made to approach them in a shallow- draft 

 native boat, they at once bestir themselves, and flapping 

 along the surface in a cloud of spray they gradually rise into 

 the ail', and circling round, far out of gunshot, presently 

 take their departure to some other shallow further back. 



At sunset they flight to the tidal paddy-fields, there to 

 feast through the dark hours. The Chinese, who know 

 their habits well, set flight-nets of fine, but tough, bamboo 

 fibre for them, and catch great numbers, so that a live 

 Pintail may be purchased, in the winter time, for about 

 threepence-halfpenny, or a dead one, for many get strangled 

 in the nets, for somewhat less. The Chinese prefer to buy 

 their Ducks alive, perhaps to make sure that they are fresh. 



QuERQUEDL'LA CIRCIA. 



About two thousand Duck were observed at Taiping, 

 fifteen miles below Samshui, on November 2.2, and amongst 

 other species was the Garganey. This species occurs both 

 in the autumn and spring on passage, but its numbers vary 

 considerably, and in some seasons none are seen at all ; this 

 happened in JMarch and April 1907. 



The Garganey keep a great deal to themselves and do not 

 join up with the large flocks of other Teal and Spotbills 

 which winter in south-eastern China. The first date in the 

 autumn is November 12, and the last in the spring April 17, 

 and on the last-named a good many of the birds were paired. 



