198 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. XI. 



They breed in Bengal in late June, July, and August, the end of July 

 principally. In Ceylon they are said to breed much earlier, but there, 

 of course, their weather arrangements are different, and the birds of all 

 kinds have to make their nesting time suit accordingly. 



The eggs are true duck eggs, though more spherical than most, 

 much like those of Dendrocygna in shape, texture, and polish. Oates 

 calls them miniatures of those of the Comb Duck, but says they are less 

 glossy. 



They vary in length between 1'5" and 1*8" and in breadth between 

 1*17" and 1*41". The average of 40 eggs, including the 26 mentioned 

 in Hume's " Nests and Eggs," is exactly 1*7" X 1*3". 



Cripps, in blowing an egg of this bird, noticed that the drops as they 

 fell on to a pucca floor, appeared phosphorescent. He could give no 

 reason for this, but the fact that they did so certainly deserves mention 

 in any article on the Cotton Teal. 



The Cotton Teal has often been unjustly accused of being unable to 

 progress on land. I do not know how this idea was started, but it is quite 

 without reason. Mr. Finn, of the Indian Museum, Calcutta, states that 

 his birds, which he had in captivity, walked perfectly well, and suggests 

 that the idea arose from people seeing wounded birds shuffling along. 

 I think there may be, however, another explanation. I had once a pair 

 of Cotton Teal tame, and these birds were allowed to wander about 

 where they liked though I had to keep one wing clipped or they might 

 have wandered too far and got shot. Now, under ordinary circumstances, 

 the two little birds waddled about in complete comfort though without 

 any undue speed. Under the effects of excitement, however, whether 

 pleasurable or frightened, they attempted to hurry themselves and at 

 once flopped about in the most ludicrous fashion, tumbling over every 

 little obstruction they met with and appearing as if their hindquarters 

 were going too fast for their heads and breasts to keep in front. 



(2b he continued.) 



