A SIND LAKE. 429 
Of the large Whistling Teal (Dendrocygna wlva), I shot a few 
in December, but none in February; they are very slow flyers, 
and when one of their number is shot, they often circle round it, 
constantly uttering their whistling cry. 
The Ruddy Sheldrake (Casarca rutila), more generally known 
as the Brahminy, is common; its hoarse croak is often heard as 
it flies overhead. I cannot agree with the statement in Mr. 
Murray’s ‘Vertebrates of Sind’ that “they are extremely shy 
and wary birds,” and as Mr. Reid, in ‘The Game Birds and 
Wildfowl of India,’ remarks, ‘“ It will not only keep a sharp look- 
out on its own account, but will fly along the jhil-side before the 
gunner, uttering its warning note, and put every bird on the 
qui vive.” I have always found it a slow clumsy bird, easy to 
approach. I was much amused on one occasion watching a 
Pariah dog trying to approach one in some deep mud; the 
dog with an unconcerned manner, as if Brahminy Duck was 
the one thing in this world which it had the least thought of, 
the Duck as if a dog trying to catch it was an equally distant 
thought. The dog at last mancuvred till it was quite close, 
but the Brahminy then flapped away a few paces; the same 
manceuvres were repeated, to the evident amusement of the 
bird and the annoyance of the dog; how long the latter would 
have pursued this wild goose or more correctly wild duck chase 
I cannot tell, for I was tired before the dog was, and walking on 
put astop to more manceuvres. This duck and the last mentioned 
are considered unfit for human food. A brother officer tried a 
young Brahminy on one occasion, and ate some of it with relish ; 
he also had a Whistling Teal cooked, which he and another friend 
pronounced good. I have never eaten the former, but I have 
attempted to eat a little of the latter; I shall never do so again. 
The Shoveller (Spatula clypeata) is very numerous; as a bird 
for the table it also has a bad reputation, which no doubt is 
frequently well deserved, for it is a foul-feeder, and delights in 
any dirty pool; but those I tried at the Manchar Lake were not 
bad eating. The Mallard (Anas boschas) was, last December, I 
think, almost the most numerous species on the Lake; in 
February I only shot two in about seven days’ shooting. The 
Gadwall (Chaulelasmus streperus) is also very common. The 
Marbled Teal (Chaulelasmus angustirostris) very common; when 
flying, on account of its proportionately large expanse of wings, 
