362 A CONTRIBUTION TO THE ORNITHOLOGY OF NEPAL. 



954."— Casarca rutila, Pall 



Female, December. — Length, 24 ; expanse, 45*5 ; wing, 14 ; 

 tail, 6 ; tarsus, 2'1 ; bill from gape, 2'1 ; bill at front, 1*6 ; 

 closed wings reach to end of tail. 



Bill black ; irides blackish brown ; feet black, the webs with 

 a purplish tinge ; claws horny black. 



The Brahminy Duck is a winter visitor to the valley, but is 

 never very common. It arrives about the end of September 

 or the beginning of October, and some of the birds remain in 

 the valley until about the middle of December ; after the 

 latter date it is not found again until about the middle of 

 March, and throughout April. It was found in small numbers 

 in the Nawakot district in November, and about streams and 

 wet fields in the Tarai and plains in December. 



957.— Spatula clypeata, Lin. 



Male, Valley, Novemhei'. — Length, 20°1 ; expanse, 30 ', wing, 

 9'0; tail, 3*8; tarsus, 1*2 ; bill from gape, 2*95 ; bill at front, 

 2*5; closed wings short of tail, 1*4; mid-toe, 1*85. 



Bill orange, brownish above ; feet orange, the webs dusky. 



The Shoveller is a winter visitor to the Nepal Valley, being 

 most common there on its migrations to and from the plains, but 

 especially in October and November. A few birds, however, 

 probably remain in the valley throughout the cold season. 



961.— Chaulelasmus streperus, Lin. 



Male, Valley, November. — Length, 19-4; expanse, 33*5 ; wing, 

 10*1 J tail, 3*9 ; tarsus, 1*4; bill from gape, 2-0; bill at front, 

 1-6 ; closed wings short of tail, 0'6 ; weight, 1 lb 4 ozs. 



Female, Valley, April. — ^Length, 18*5 ; wing, 9'5 j tail, 3-7 ; 

 tarsus, 1'4; bill at front, 1'4. 



The Gadwall is a winter visitant to the Nepal Valley, but 

 does not remain there throughout the cold season. It is pretty 

 common from September to nearly the end of November, and 

 again in March and April. 



962.— Dafila acuta, Lin. 



Four males. — Length, 23 to 25 ; expanse, 32 to 36*5 ; wing, 

 10*3 to 10-9 ; tail, 4*8 to 5-8 ; tarsus, 1*6 ; bill from gape, 

 2-4; bill at front, 2-05 to 2-1. 



Three females. — Length, 20 to 21-5 ; expanse, 32 to 33*5 ; 

 wing, 10 to 10-2; tail, 4-2 to 4'8 ; tarsus, 1-45 to 1-5 ; bill 

 from gape, 2-1 to 2-3 ; bill at front, 178 to 1-95. 



Bill black above and at tip ; the sides of the upper mandible 

 and the basal part of the lower slaty or horny grey j irides 



