312 FIRST LIST OF THE BIRDS OF 



the hot season. The male is of a deep orange fulvous with the 

 head of a yellowish white, and now in the cold season has a 

 black ring round the neck. The female is of a pale orange ful- 

 vous with a pure white head ; and the whole of the wing- 

 coverts pure white ; both have the upper tail-coverts chestnut, 

 with brown zig-zag markings on both webs, which become 

 darker until they shade into the black tail ; under tail-coverts 

 bright ferruginous.* The male bird is rather tame, but his mate 

 is as wild as ever. They feed with the domestic ducks, but at 

 night they remain at the waters' edge one on each of the tank 

 step buttresses. The last birds (a party of 5) seen in Furreed- 

 pore this season was on the 9 th April. 



982.— Dafila acuta, Lin. 



In large flocks during the cold weather, easily distinguished 

 by their swift flight and pointed tail. I could not manage to 

 secure a specimen as they were very wild. During the day no 

 wild ducks were seen anywhere near the factory, as they were 

 resting in the Ganges due north about 20 miles, but in the 

 morning I used to see great flocks going north ; they used 

 to come at dusk and feed in all the " beels" around, and be off 

 again after sunrise. 



965.— Querquedula circia, Lin. 



Males. — Length, 16* and 16*10 ; expanse, 23* and 25*50 ; 

 wing, 7*25 and 7*33; tail from vent, 3*16 and 3*50; tarsus, 

 1*08 and 1*25 ; bill from gape, 1*75 and 1*83; at front, 1*55 ; 

 closed wings fall short of end of tail, 0*75 and 1*16 ; weight, 

 13*37 oz. Legs bluish ; bill black; irides brown. 



Females. — Length, 15* and 15*50; expanse, 24* and 25*12 ; 

 wing, 6*92 and 7*08; tail from vent, 2*83 and 2*92; tai'sus, 

 1* and 1*08; bill from gape, 1*75; at front, 1*50 and 1*56 ; 

 closed wings fall short of end of tail, 0*33 and 0*66. Legs 

 bluish ; bill black ; irides brown. 



Swarms in the cold weather in all the small beels about the 

 country. During the day they used to remain in the Ganges, 

 and at nifht come to the interior to feed, The Ganges from 

 my factory was about 20 miles. By the 16th April not a bird 

 was to be seen, all having migrated. 



967— Fnligula rufina, Pallas. 



1th February 1878, Female.— Length, 22*0; expanse, 35*0 ; 

 wing, 10-08; tail from vent, 3*50; tarsus, 1*75; bill from 



* Having been kept down in the plains during the hot season, the plumage is not 

 normal. — Ed. 



