876 JOURNAL, BOMBAllNATVRAL HIST. SOCIIITY, Vol. XXVII. 



Marbled Duck, Shoveller, Gargany, Gadwall and Ruddy Sheldrake. I am sure 

 that I saw tens of thousands of ducks, on the sea and in the lagoon, and exposed 

 for sale in the bazaar. 



I do not know at what time the various species arrived in the lagoon ; when 

 I left Enzeli on 31st October 1919 it appeared that none had arrived. As to 

 -their departure in spring, in early February 1919 we had very warm weather 

 and the duck at once became scarcer. The end of February was cold and wet 

 but they continued to become fewer still, and were " scarce " on 28th Febru- 

 ary. By 15th March the only species left were " Smew, Golden Ej^e, Tufted 

 Duck and Mallard, a few of each ". After 31st March I never saw a duck except 

 small parties of Tufted Ducks the last of which was seen as late as 26th April. 



Mergus senator, L. — Red-breasted Merganser, 



I flushed a female Red-breasted Merganser from a ditch at Menjil on 1st April 

 1919. I saw the bird twice at very close quarters and am certain that it was 

 a Merganser {M. serrator) and not a Goosander (if. merganser). Zarudny 

 only records the Merganser from Seistan and the Persian Gulf. 



Nyroca nyroca nyroca (L.) — White-eyed Duck. 



Ingoldby told me that the White- eyed Duck was commoner than any other 

 species at Bander -i-Gaz in Asterabad Bay in the S. E. Caspian, but I never 

 saw it at Enzeh. 



Podiceps cristatus cristatus (L.) — Great Crested Grebe. 



1(5, 5th February — Enzeli (wing 198 mm. culmen. 52 mm.). 

 The Great Crested Grebe was extremely common in January in Enzeli har- 

 bour, and on the lagoon and the Caspian. All the birds disappeared in the 

 third week in February. 



Podiceps ruficollis capensis, Salva. — Little Grebe 

 {Podiceps fluviatilis capensis). 



Ic?, 2nd March. — Enzeh. 

 The Little Grebe is common and resident in Enzeli lagoon and harbour. It is 

 •an interesting fact that the Little Grebe of a country so far north as Gilan is the 

 iorm which inhabits India and Tropical Africa, not that which inhabits Europe. 



Pelecanus onocrotalus (Sub-sp ?) L. — Roseate Pelican, 



1 (5 5 1 imm. Resht, lagoon. January and February (male wing, 685 

 mm. culmen 386 mm.) 



Pelecanus crispus, Bruch. — Dalmatian Pelican. 



1, Resht lagoon. 



Both the Roseate and the Dalmatian Pelicans may be seen in large flocks on 

 the south side of the lagoon during the winter, though the Roseate is far the more 

 abundant. The two species rest together on the same mud-bank, but I do not 

 know whether they go out on mixed fishing parties. I have no note of the 

 date of their departure, but they certainly do not remain on the lagoon for the 

 summer. 



The single adult specimen of P. onocrotalus is small, but on geographical 

 grounds probably belongs to the typical race. The tail is defective. 



Phalacrocorax carbo (L.) — Common Cormorant. 



The Common Cormorant is abundant all the year round at Enzeh and in winter 

 wanders inland at any rate as far south as Menjil. It breeds in great numbers 

 to judge from the dozens of old birds one sees flying towards the lagoon with 

 nesting material, but I was never able to follow them. In early April the 

 Cormorant appears to be more than usually abundant. Flocks of some 

 thousands spent the day defiling the sandy margins of the Caspian, and every 

 morning about 8 a. m. between 19th and 15th April one saw mile-long flights 

 following each other eastwards. These flights were close over the sea about 

 half a mile from shore. My skins have failed to reach home. 



