THE BIRDS OP MONGOLIA ETC. 103 



but in such cases the broods consisted very seldom of more than from three 

 to five specimens. These small numbers again show that it is a second 

 brood, the first having probably perished during a fire. 



In Ussuri country large flocks of Ducks assemble in August, doing 

 great damage to the cornfields, whither they resort for feeding at night. 



The autumnal migration at Hanka takes place in September and 

 October, a few birds remaining for the winter on the shores of the Japanese 

 Sea. 



266. Anas zonorhyncha, Swinh. 



Anas poRciloi'hyncha, Temm., nee Lath 

 Temm. & Sehleg. Faun. Jap. pi. Ixxsii. 



Tolerably common in S.E.* Mongolia and the Hoang-ho valley, where 

 we also found it breeding. The first migrants appeared at Dalai-nor about 

 the 1st of April, although a few may have arrived even earlier. We did 

 not observe this species in Kan-su, Koko-nor, or Tsaidam. 



At Lake Hanka it is scarce, and only occasionally appears during 

 migration early in April ; but whether it remains there to breed, or not, I do 

 not know. 



Mr. Swinhoe's opinion (P. Z. S. 1871, p. 417) is quite correct, that the 

 present Duck forms a separate species, and is not the result of the inter- 

 breeding of A. hoschas and A. pcecilorhyncha, as was supposed by Temminck. 



267. QuERQUEDULA ciRciA, L. Utka chiroc. 



Like the preceding, this Duck is common in S.E. Mongolia, and was 

 observed by us there on the 11th of April. It breeds in the marshes and 

 near lakes in the Hoang-ho valley, but does not occur at Koko-nor. 



At Lake Hanka it appears later than any other, namely in the end of 



