BIRDS FROM NORTHERN AND WESTERN PERSIA, k7o 



N)/cCicorax nycticorax (li.) — Night Heron. 



SuHiU flocks of Night Herons are common at Resht and Enzeli in the winter, 

 and I saw single birds in April and June. I have no doubt that they were 

 breeding locally, but I have already explained why it was impossible to get 

 definite breeding records for any of the marsh birds. 



Botaurus stellaris (L.) — Common Eittern. 



I saw a Common Bittern shot from a reed bed by the Kara Su at Kermanshali 

 on 29th November 1918, and I saw the species occasionally in the reed beds, 

 roimd the Enzeli lagoon in winter. 



Phcf:nicopterus ruber antiquorum, Temm. — Flamingo. 

 (P. roseiis, Auctt.) 



I saw a flock of a dozen adult Flamuigoes in July at Tula Rud, mid-way 

 between Enzeli and Astara. 



Cygnus cygmis (L.) — Whooper Swans. 

 (C. miisicus, Auctt.) 



I saw two adult Whooper Swans in the lagoon between Enzieli and Resht oa 

 11th February. Capt. Ingoldby obtained a specimen, which was one of two 

 that had been caught alive in a flight net, and which a boy was carrying alive 

 to market. These flight nets are used with great effect in winter, at any rate 

 against the ducks ; they are spread across channels of water among the reed beds, 

 and are often a couple of hundred yards long. 



Anser, sp. 



Grey Geese were common, but I never got one. I do not think they are killed 

 in the flight nets except perhaps in very windy weather. 



Tadorna tadorna (L.) — Common Sheldrake. 



I saw a flock of 200-300 Common Sheldrakes on the lagoon on 16th February, 

 That was the only time I saw the species. 



Aims platyrhyncha platyrhynchci (L.) — Mallard. 

 (Anas hoscluis, Auctt.) 



A}ias creccci crecca (L.) — Common Teal, 

 Nyroca fidigida (L.) — Tufted Duck. 

 Mergus albdlas, L. — Smew. 

 Buchephala clangula clangula (L.) — Golden Eje. 

 Nyroca ferina ferinct (L.) — Common Pochard. 

 Netta rtifina (Pall.) — Hed-crested Pochard. 

 Anas poielope, L. — Wig3on. 

 Anas acuta, L. — Pintail Duck. 



The Mallard and Common Teal were very common on the Resht side of the 

 lagoon, that is to say, the inland, freshwater side, in winter. At Enzeli, that 

 is to say, on the Caspian side, both on the lagoon and on the sea itself, they were 

 relatively rare among the huge numbers of more truly marine ducks. At En- 

 zeU the commonest duck of all was the Tufted, but Smew and Golden Eye were 

 extremely abundant. Common and Red Crested Pochard hardly less so. 

 Wigeon were quite common,Pintail occurred, but not in great numbers. The local 

 people all stated that relativelv speaking duck, geese and swans were not abun- 

 dant during the winter of 1918-1919, and this was believed to be due to the N. 

 end of the Caspian being less frozen over than it is in some years. Still it is 

 curious that I never saw any of the following ducks which are recorded by 

 Zarudny for this part of Persia :— Goosander, White-headed Duck (Eris- 

 matura \eucocephcila), Scaup, Long-tiUed Duck, Common and Velvet Scoters, 

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