19S JOURNAL, BOMB A Y NA TUBAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. Xl, 



v I have generally observed them in rather small flocks — seldom more 

 than about twenty, and more often under than over a dozen — that is to 

 say, in family parties only : other observers, however, speak of finding 

 them in far larger flocks, so I suppose that often the families collect 

 together. 



The only district in which I have personally found and taken their 

 nests in any numbers is Rungpore. I was there once for three or four 

 months in the rains, and I am sure that at that time a short walk of 

 two or three miles in any direction along any road would have been 

 productive of three or four nests of the Cotton Teal, as well perhaps of 

 one or two of the Whistling Teal. The District and Station Roads are 

 well off for fine large trees, forming complete avenues on many of 

 them, and most of them have large drains on either side, or else a 

 succession of borrow pits take their place. These, long disused, have 

 naturally become well covered with weeds and grass, and form grand 

 hunting grounds for this little duck, whilst the numerous hollows in the 

 old trees, which overhang them, afford them sites for building in. I 

 think they generally select hollows of some size in the trunk of the tree 

 itself and at about six to twelve feet from the ground, and this hollow 

 they line well and abundantly with twigs, grass, and feathers. I have 

 twice known as many as 22 eggs laid, once 18 and once 16, but 

 normally, I should say they lay any number from 8 to 14, 10 being 

 perhaps the number more often laid than any other. I have never 

 known them make any other sort of nest than this already described, 

 but others have recorded quite different stories regarding their nidifica- 

 tion. Blewitt, writing from Jhansi, says : " It breeds in July and August. 

 Just above the village of Borogaon is a large lake from which 

 several eggs of this goslet were brought. The eggs were collected in 

 the two months on different occasions. It makes a semi-floating nest 

 on the water, among the rushes or lotus weeds, of weeds, grass, etc., all 

 together, filled up several inches above the water-level. 



(t The many boatmen of this lake stated that this goslet breeds there 

 every year, and at the Salbuhat Lake also the boatmen affirmed the 

 same." 



I have found nests quite low down, in trees only just above water- 

 level in fact, but have never taken them from a hole at any height 

 .from the ground, and '■cannot now recall to mind any which were over 



