108 IXJtlAN" KICKS. 



the shells are tliiek and have very little transparency, and as a rule the yt)lk 

 gives no tint at all to tlic -hell. 



All my eggs come within the average given by Gates in Hume's 

 ' Xests and Eggs/ viz.. length from 1"72 to 2'0 inches, and breadth I'rom 

 1'4 to I'G. The average of oAer 150 eggs taken by me is, however, larger, 

 and measures I'Si' x l'')2 inches. 



The duck is a very close sitter, and will not move from her eggs until 

 very closely approached : indeed she may sometimes be caught by hand. 

 Mr. Brooks thus caught a duck on her nest, which was placed at the 

 bottom of a hollow in a dead >tump. 



The drake keeps much to the tree where the nest is. and spends much 

 of his time alongside his mate on the nearest comfortable j)erch, but I have 

 never been able to ascertain whether he assists in the inculcation. 



In different parts of the country thi>v breed from late June up to 

 September : in Eastern Bengal principally in Jiily. in West Bengal late 

 July and early August, in Western India later still. Barnes says that in 

 Eajputana they breed in August and September. 



In Gevlon it i- one of the l)ird- that does not alter it< habits of breeding 

 much, antl there tlie\ lav in JniH' and Julv. 



