272 • INDIAN DUCKS. 



Bombay as the most southern point in India in which the Goosander has 

 been obtained. 



The next record I can find is that of a Merganser shot by R. ¥. B. at 

 Myitkyina, Burmah, and sent with a note to the 'Asian,' dated 1st March, 

 1897, the bird haA'ing been shot tiie previous day. This bird was identified 

 by Mr. F. Finn, Avho kindly notified me o£ its occurrence. 



Oates, in his ' Clame-Birds,' says that "The Goosander is a connnon 

 bird in the Upper Irrawaddy, antl occurs in small parties o£ from two or 

 three to six. Owing to my being obliged to travel about in steamers, I 

 never succeeded in shooting one of these birds, but Commander A. C 

 Yorstoun kindly procured me one and sent me the skin for identification." 



I have myself found it to be extremely common on th(>i Subansiri and 

 many other hill rivers and streams, in the cold weather, in flocks of forty 

 upwards, and one flight I estimated at over two hundred. I should think 

 that on the 25tli, 2Gth, and 27th of January, 1901, I daily, in the river 

 mentioned, saw from 200 to 500 of these birds on a very small stretch of 

 water. They were extremely wild and wary when one came across them 

 on the water ; but when flighting would often pass up and down within 

 shot of the boat. 



As far as I can ascertain, they are equally common on the Dehing, 

 Dibong, and all the larger streams in Assam, and are plentiful on the 

 Brahmapootra itself above Sadiya, being also found now and then as low 

 down as Dibrugarh, or even lower. 



Primrose reports them as common and not shy on the Gadadhur in 

 the Goalpara District, Avhere the birds allow boats to approach within 

 thirty yards. 



The Goosander is a permanent resident in India, but during the 

 summer is confined to the Himalayas at various heights about 10,000 feet, 

 whence it descends in the end of October and early November to the foot- 

 hills and into the plains. The limits of their local migrations have been 

 already noted. 



In most countries the Goosander is nearly as much a salt-water as 

 a fresh- water frequenter, l)ut here, in India, it seems to be essentially a 

 fresh-water species, and the only record of its having been shot in the 

 sea, within om- limits, that I can find, is that of Mr. Aitken. In the 

 Persian Gulf, however, it has been frequently obtained, and possibly closer 

 search on our extreme north-western coast might produce more birds. It 

 liaunts the larger streams and rivers, keeping to such as have a distinct 

 current and clear water, generally avoiding the more sluggish dirty rivers 



