ASARCORNIS SCUTULATA. 37 



then it iiiaJo off to its mate, which was some two liiindi-ed yards hioher 

 u]) the stream. They then both settled in a small pool and did not again 

 take wing until he had sneaked to within twenty yards, when they got np 

 and flew straight away, passing, as I haye already said, just out of sight of 

 me. We heard them calling iu the same place for two or three days after 

 tlii-!, but when attempts were made to stalk them they made off long befoie 

 a sight was obtained of them or a shot possible. 



The pair met with at Barpeta were seen when I was out shooting Kya 

 Partridge in some ekra-coyered patches of swamp surrounded by forest. 

 On this occasion a pair got up out of some swamp, some forty or fifty 

 yards from me, just as I emerged from the forest. Two barrels of No. 7 

 l)attered on their backs at once, but seemed not to haye the smallest effect 

 on them. These two birds flew like geese, one bird (the male, I suppose, 

 for he looked much the heayier) about two yards in front of the other, 

 their necks fully outstretched and squawking loudly as they flew for the 

 first few hundred yards. Whilst in the open they flew within a few feet 

 of the ground, but on regaining the forest mounted higher until tl;ey 

 altogether disappeared in the distance. 



Whilst lieatius for tiger in scrub and ti-ee iungle on the banks of the 

 Dibru stream, at that tiuie only a succession of muddy pools, we once put 

 up a flock of seven of these grand birds, who flew round and round us, at a 

 considerable distance, for a long time befort; tliej^ eventually cleared off. 

 These seyen — the largest number met with in a flock that I haye any 

 certain record of — flew in line like geese do, and in the distance would 

 probably haye been mistaken for such. 



Mr. Moylan, in narrating to me how he met with this duck in Sini, in 

 Singbhoom, said that at the time they were shooting in grass-covered 

 swamps at the edge of heavy forest. They were standing thus, when they 

 saw four birds, which he took to be geese, coining down towards him and 

 his companions. They were at a great height, but a charge of 8.K.G. took 

 effect on the foremost an<l he came crash to the ground, turning out to be 

 a fine drake. It is possible that Mr. Moylan may have been wrong in his 

 identification, Imt I failed to discover any reason to make me think so, 

 though I (juestioned him closely on the matter. This was th(^ only occasion 

 oji which he ever saw the duck. 



Iu addition to the ringing trumpet-call of this bird, both (h'ake and 

 duck indulge in a very low quacking note, sounding very much as if a 

 Mallard was trying to f|uack under its Ijrcatli. Whilst uttering this note 



