VERTEBRATES OF THE JALPAIGURI DISTRICT, BENGAL. 15? 



Smaller Egret (1560), Herodias intermedia. — A specimen in the BritisL 



Museum was got in January. 

 Cattle Egret [Ib^'l), BuhuUus coromandus. — Very common. 

 Pond Heron (1565), Ardeola grayi. — Very common. 

 Little Green Heron (1^67), Butorides javanica — Very common. 

 Night Heron (1568), Nycticorax grisevs. 

 Chestnut Bittern (1572). Ardetia cinnamomea. — Common. 

 [Black Bittern (1573), Dujpetor flamcollis . — Shot in Goalpara and believed 



to be found in this district.] 

 The Bittern (1574), Botnurus stellaris. — Sunder gives it as found on banks- 

 and churs of large rivers and jheels. We have never seen it in this- 

 district. 

 Grey Lag Goose (1579), Anser ferus. — 1 

 Red-billed Goose (1579a), Anser rubri- > Rare, one of these geese is found.. 



rostris. — j 



Barred-headed Goose (1583), Anser indicus. — Rare. Geese are occasionally 

 seen on the Tista and we believe they have also been seen away 

 from the river. 

 Comh'Dvick {\oS'i), Sarcidiornis melanonotus. — One specimen in the British 



Museum from the Sikkim Terai. 

 [White- winged Wood-Duck (1585), Asarcornis scidulatus. — Inglis' collector 

 saw a duck on the Neora river. He said it was about the size of a 

 Comb-duck but brown below. It could not have been a Comb-duck as 

 the man knows that bird well and the only bird Inglis thinks it could 

 have been is this species.] 

 Ruddy Sheldrake or Brahmiuy Duck (1588), Casarca ruiila. — Common on 



larger rivers. 

 Whistling Teal (1589), Dendrocycna javanica. — Resident and very common, 



breeding freely in the district. 

 Large Whistling Teal (1590), Dendrocycna fulva. — Rare. Travers records one 

 shot at Borara and a pair were also seen there which flew off in 

 company with a large flock of the common whistling teal. 

 Cotton Teal (1591), Nettopus coromandeliamis . — R'ssident and very common. 



It breeds in the district. 

 The Mallard (1592), Anas boscas. — Large bags of ducks are not made in this- 

 district. Travers says they are got in large numbers in the adjoining 

 district of Dinajpur and Rangpur and also that many speoies of duck 

 remain upon little ponds and lakes in October and early November 

 and then depart for the south. A few Mallards are seen in October and 

 are rarer after November, and after December they probably proceed 

 south. 

 Falcated Teal (1594), Eunetta falcata. — Travers records a bird shot at 

 Borara and a couple were shot a few miles to the south of the district.. 

 These birds are probably commoner than they are supposed to be as 

 unless drakes are shot one seldom hears of them. 

 The Gadwall (1595), Chaulelasmus streperus. — Some years these duck are 

 far more plentiful than others and a fair proportion are sometimes 

 obtained. 

 Common Teal (1597), Nettimn crecca. — This is the commonest of the true 



teal and large flocks are seen during migration in April. 

 The Wigeon (1599), Mareca penelope. — Not common. Single birds are 



often seen. 

 The Pintail (1600), Do^Za acuta. — Large flocks are found in March upon 



the larger rivers. 

 Garganey or Blue-Winged Teal (1601), Querquedula circia. — Not as coromoru 

 as the common teal, but large flocks are seen at migration time. 



