200 INDIAN PUCKS. 



rule, frequent the dirty holes in which a pair of Shovellers often pass the 

 winter." 



A curious note on its food, &c., is that in Latham's ' Synopsis of Birds,' 

 in which he states : — " Its chief food is ins(>cts, for which it is continually 

 niuddlino- in the water with its bill. It is also said to (h'xterously catch 

 flies, which pass in its way over the water. Shrimps, amono- other things, 

 have been found in its stomach on dissection. ^^ 



It is a bad swimmer and a worse diver, andoncf^ shot takes little trouble 

 to brino' to hand if only wounded. It flies, however, very well and 

 strongly, and in this respect it holds its own with T(>al and other swift 

 ducks, though it is slow to rise, getting u]) hea^'ily and awkwai-dly off the 

 water and taking time to get uj) its speed. 



Thev are very sociable birds, and consort with Teal, Gadwall, and other 

 ducks. As a rule, they are very tame and can be easily aj^proached, if the 

 least caution is taken, and they have the reputation of allowing repeated 

 shots to be fired at them before a flock will leave the piece of water they 

 are frequenting. 



Blanford remarks that it never appears to feed, like other ducks, with its 

 head and breast iunnersed and its tail sticking uj) vertically. 



It is said to walk well, with a carriage similar to that of the (ladwall, 

 and Hume says it can even run if sufficient inducement be held out for it 

 to do so. 



Newton remarks on a peculiarity of this duck of " swinnning round in 

 circles, with its bill in the water, al)Ove the spot where Pochards are diving 

 and feeding beneath, and sifting out the substances that float up when 

 disturbed by the operation of the diving ducks." 



The voice of the Shoveller is much like that of the Mallard, the quack, 

 however, being lower and less strident. In flight it gives vent to a low 

 chuckling quack, quickly repeated, much as does the Gradwall. 



As regards their breeding in Indian limits, all I can find is Layard's 

 record noted by Legge : — " Layard not only discovered it one year near 

 Jaffna, but found it breeding there at the ( ■havagacherry lagoon in March. 

 He there met with a female with twelve young ones, most of which he 

 captured, and in the month of November he obtained specimens from 

 native shooters." 



This, of course, was an abnormal breeding incident in every way, time 

 as well as locality, and it is very hard to give any reason for such a queer 

 occurrence. 



They breed throughout their northern habitat — Asia, America, Europe — 



