118 IXDIAX DUCKS. 



to be able to kill at two hundred yards ; very soon, however, they learn to 

 fix the range even of these Aveapons, and new ground will have to be 

 sought for, for future shooting. Hume, writing of this form of shooting 

 the Brahminy, says : " After being at this game a few days and killing- 

 five or six, not a Brahminy in the neighbourhood would let you approacli 

 within a (jiiarter of a mile, and thenceforth thty give you so wide a berth 

 that they interfere very little with fowling." 



It is decidedly a bird of clean, clear water predilections, and may 

 generally be found in the larger rivers on the wide sand-churs which form 

 each cold weather as the water sinks. They like such as are clean stretches 

 of sand, devoid, or almost devoid, of vegetation, and they ke(^p much to 

 the land, though not so exclusively to it as the Common Sheldrake. Of 

 course, where there are no rivers the Brahminy does not disdain any 

 ordinary lake or large piece of water, but ho eschews such as have much 

 jungle about them and have their shores all moi'e or less closed with the 

 same, or with growing crops, unless the latter are very young and short. 

 Small dirty ponds and weedy tanks he will have nothing to do with, except 

 when in the direst distress, nor will he willingly frequent small nullahs and 

 rivers with muddy banks. Even when there are fine open i)ieces of water 

 he will always leave these and resort in ])reference to sandy tanks and 

 churs, should such be in the vicinitv, though he may visit the former now 

 and then to feed. 



The bird has been frequently tamed, and becomes very domesticated. 

 Some writers, Hume amongst them, speak well of their character under 

 such circumstances, and say that they are gentle and lorboariug to other 

 ducks which may be sharing their captivity. Mr. Finn, however, says 

 that, from what he knows of it, " it is by no means the gentle and 

 inoffensive bird in captivity that Hume makes it out to be, but is decidedly 

 ill-conditioned and given to persecuting other water-fowl." 



Everyone laiows the legend about the Brahminy which is held by the 

 natives to account for only two birds being found together. They are 

 supposed to be inhabited Ijy the souls of lovers who have sinned. Once 

 two lovers, who were prevented from marriage by their parents, determincil 

 to take the matter into their own hands and risk the displeasure of the 

 gods. Eventually the lady escajjed from supervision and went straight to 

 her lover, who was awaiting her; but they enjoyed their liberty only for 

 twenty-four hour-, for the next night they were changed into Brahminy 

 Ducks and were condemned ever to keep on oiq)osite sides of the stream, 

 and though they were allowed to sjjcak to one another and to ask if they 



