44 INDIA X DUCKS, 



In tlie Punjab its occnrrcncos are limited to four actually recorded. 

 Two were shot by Colonel Kinlocli and another is mentioned In' him as 

 having been shot by a friend (a brother officer), whilst the other is noticed 

 by Hume. All four birds were obtained near Delhi. In the North- West 

 it is equally i-ai-e^ and as the authorities who would attempt to ])rove 

 otherwise are anonymous, it is not worth while quoting them. In Oudh it 

 is perhaps less rare, and a few birds are seen and either shot or netted 

 nearly ever}' year. Latham says that it "" is common in Oudh, where it 

 lives generally in pairs, is often kept tame, and becomes very familiar "'' (I). 



Shilli]lgford^■^ note on the " Pink-headed Uuck,"" which appeared in 

 the ' Asian,' gives so much information — and so little is to be o])tained 

 elsewhere — that I rcjjroduce it in e.denw : — 



'•' During the cold weather, November to March, th<' Pink-headers 

 remain in flocks varying from <S to ?yO, or even 40 ])ir(ls. in the lagoons 

 adjoining the large rivers, and ha\(' been ()l)sorvod bv mv>('lf in coiisider- 

 al)le nuinliers in tlie soutlicni and western ])()rti()ns of the disti-ict, that 

 portion of Eastern Bhagalpur wliich lies innuediatcly to the north of the 

 Hiver Ganges and south-western ])arts of Maldah. They come up to tlie 

 central or higher parts of the Purneah district in ])air- during the month 

 of April, ]}egin to build in Mav. and tlicir eggs mav be found in June and 

 July. The nests are well formed (made of dry grass interspersed with a 

 few feathers), perfectly circular in shape. alK)ut inches in diameter, and 



4 or 5 inches deep, with 3 or 4 inch walls, and have no special lining. The 

 nests are placed in the centre of tufts of tall grass, well hidden and difficult 

 to find, generally not more than r)()0 vards from water. They lay from 



5 to 10 eggs in a nest. Both the male and female have been started 

 simultaneously from the vicinity of the nest, but whether the former assists 

 in incubation is uncertain, though, judging from the loss of weight during 

 the l)reeding-season, the male must be in con>tant attendance at the nest. 

 The weight of five males shot between the liUh Fehruary and 2<Sth June, 

 1880, in consecutive oi'der, being : — (1) '1 lbs. '.\ ozs. (llUh February) ; 

 Cl) 1 11). 14 ozs. : (;}) •> lbs.; (4) 1 lb. 13 ozs. : and (.">) 1 lb. 12 ozs. (28th 

 June). 



'" When the young are fledged in September-October the Pink-headers 

 retire to their \\>\vA haunt> in tlie junglv lagoons. 



'"The following account, as indicating theii* strong attachment to their 

 young, may ])rove of interest. On the 17th of July, 1880, whilst searching 

 for Piidv-headers' nests with F. H. at the northern extremity of Patraha 

 Patal. where nests were reported, we flushed a female Pink-header in the 



