&^i JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. XIV. 



common in China as many other birds and the common price 



is from six to ten dollars a pair nor can they be bred in this 



country." 



Blakiston and Pryer in the " Ibis " (1878, p. 213) state : " Yery com- 

 mon on small streams. It formerly built in the trees in Uyino Park, 

 Tokio. Breeds in Yezo." 



It seems to be a duck which keeps much to small streams, more 

 especially such as run through forest, but at the same time to 

 prefer such streams as are clear rather than slow sluggish backwaters 

 and weedy pools. It is usually to be found in small flocks, seldom 

 exceeding a dozen and very often less even in the countries where it is 

 most common, so that very small flocks are all we can expect to 

 meet with in India. 



It is a stout, sturdy, strong little bird, equally good on water, land and 

 air ; its flight is direct and strong, similar, though inferior, to that of 

 Nettion crecca ; it walks well and quickly and swims with a jaunty 

 carriage, getting over the water at a great pace. I can find nothing on 

 record about its powers of diving, but judging from its shape and 

 plumage these are not likely to be of the best. 



Schrenk says that when in Amoor, about May to August, they are 

 very wild and shy, not allowing an approach within gun-shot. He also 

 states that they perch freely on trees. This is confirmed by all other 

 observers, indeed Finn ('' Fancy Waterfowl ") says that the Mandarin 

 perches as readily as a pigeon. 



This same naturalist, one of our best observers and a specialist on 

 waterfowl, remarks : " Another attractive point about this lovely 

 duck is that he is, more than any other duck, ' a bird of position, ' 

 and much given to showing himself off, by raising his crest and slightly 

 expanding his wings vertically, so as to bring the wing fans perpendi- 

 cular and to display the beautifully striped flights, while when standing 

 he often curves his neck back and throws out his breast like a fan-tail 

 pigeon. He certainly looks at such times as if he were conscious of 

 his beauty, and his little brown mate, as she caresses his orange hackles, 

 must surely admire it." 



" He is a great fighter, and will even kill ducks of his own kind 

 should he not approve of them." 



In spite of their pugnacity, however, they have a reputation in 

 China for being wonderful!} faithful little birds to each other, In- 



