AND NORTHERN GUZERAT. 29 
[Occurs throughout the entire region, but (except in Sindh 
where, especially in Upper Sindh, they are very common) every 
where sparingly. I have only seen one killed in Jodhpore near 
Pallee, and Mr. Adam has never yet obtained one near 
Sambhur.—A. O. H.] 
959.—Anas poekilorhyncha, Pen. 
The Spotted Billed or Grey Duck, which is the largest variety 
we have except the Brahminy, is tolerably common. It flies as 
a rule in pairs, but may also often be seen in small parties. I 
always select this species in a drive to fire at in preference 
to most of the others, on account of its size and of its being 
such an excellent bird for table. I believe that they breed 
in this part of the country, as it is here all through the rains, 
and I came upon a brood of “flappers’” of this species in one 
of the tanks on the 26th December. They were nearly full 
grown, but could not fly. One I shot, one I knocked on the 
head with a stick, two were caught by the beaters and one 
escaped by diving. The Grey Duck is one of the most 
difficult of any of the ducks to catch when wounded, if it 
once reaches the water, as it dives very freely and when 
it rises seldom shows more than its beak above the water 
which is by no means an easy object to see amongst weeds or 
in the rushes. One of the flappers we caught after diving for a 
considerable distance took refuge in a thick mass of weeds at 
the bottom of the tank (3 feet deep) from which moist re- 
treat he was extracted by one of the beaters who accidentally 
trod on hin when walking through the water in search of one 
of the others. 
{Common throughout the entire region. It was of course 
of this species that Stoliczka (J. A. S. B., 1872, p. 255) shot 
an immature specimen in Cutch (from which I have seen many 
of this species), and not of either the Gadwall, which does not 
breed at all anywhere within Indian limits, or of the Mallard, 
which within these latter only breeds in the Himalayas.— 
A. 0. H.] 
961.—Chaulelasmus streperus, Lin. 
The Gadwall, as I have already mentioned, is one of the com- 
monest ducks in the country. 
962.—Dafila acuta, Lin. 
The Pintail Duck, although common, is never numerously 
represented in the bag, owing to its shy nature. It is one of 
the first birds to take wing when a drive commences, and as 
it flies very high it is by no means easy to get hold of. I have 
several times in the cold weather observed immense flocks of 
