136 Contrihutlons to ike Ornithology/ of India, dfc. 



20 to 30 yards distant;, with blunt arrows^ with a rapidity that 

 must be seen to be credited. 



I did not notice any new birds^, but shot several of the large 

 black-headed gull^ this being- almost the only lake in Sindh 

 where I have yet seen it, Watson and James say the same. 



It is curious how particular ducks affect particular dunds. 

 In one dund^, the great mass are Aytliya nyroca ; this will be 

 one much covered with the more or less dry leaves of the lotus. 

 In another^ Q. angiistirostris ^xQ^ovaxxx^io.^', here there will be a 

 vast quantity of green rush^ making the whole lake look like a 

 meadow; in open clear water dunds of moderate size^, Aythja 

 ferina will be in a majority, while^, where there is a vast expanse 

 of open water_, Branta ntfina and Fuligula cristata will out-num- 

 ber all the other kinds many fold. Shovellers and shelldrakes 

 (and precious wary these latter always are) sneak along the 

 ed^es, while mallard like to sit round the roots of the 

 tamarisk bushes_, thousands o'f which stand far out into 

 some pieces of water. What the pintail seems to prefer are 

 pieces of comparatively open water, dotted about with small 

 patches of a long leaved water plant a Sagittaria, I think, which 

 rises about 4 inches above the surface, in amongst which they sit, 

 completely hidden when asleep, even at a few yards distance,, 

 and with their brown and inconspicuous heads, and a little only 

 of their white necks sb owing when they are looking about them. 

 The Munchur is an epitome of every description of broad, and 

 accordingly in different parts of its huge expanse, different 

 species predominate, only the coot everywhere swarms in my- 

 riads, and make, in rising on the sudden discharge of a gun, a 

 noise like the roaring of mighty waters. 



In particular parts the purple coots are very abundant. I 

 watched a flock of these for a long time and found that they 

 did not keep in the water, but spent most of their time sitting 

 on and clambering about the reeds (which they grasp firmly 

 with their huge feet,) about half way up, turning here and there, 

 imitating, if it might be hinted to them, the movements of their 

 companion A. hrunescens, about as neatly as a donkey would 

 those of an Italian greyhound. 



I find from James, that Coturnix coromandelica is not uncom- 

 mon in Sindh. Eu>podotis Ecl'")ardsi has been once killed near 

 Kurrachee, and is found not uncommonly in Thurr and Pakur. 

 Syplieotides aibriUi,s is found near Kurrachee at certain seasons. 

 Both W^atson and Day speak to seeing Charadrkts longipes ^in 

 North Sindh. RJiynchcea bengalensis also occurs pretty commonly. 

 James says, that Cico?da alba is not uncommon : he has several 

 times seen large flocks in and about rice fields. Watson says. 



