FORMOSAN TEAL 
249 
Migration 
The migration of this species presents no peculiarities. Traveling in large flocks they leave their 
winter quarters apparently in the middle of March, reaching Mongolia toward the end of the same 
month or in early April (Prjevalski, 1878) . In Dauria and the vicinity of Lake Baikal they have been 
reported as arriving during the second half of x\pril (Taczanowski, 1893) and the middle of May 
(Taczanowski, 1873). Von Schrenck (1859) states that on the lower Amur they were first seen in 
late April and early May, but Radde (1863), speaking perhaps of regions farther to the west, gives 
the date of arrival as March 26. On the Suiffan and lower Ussuri Rivers they were seen in late 
March (Bolau, 1881) and Dorries (1888) says some stay as late as the end of May! But on Lake 
Hanka, according to Prjevalski (1878), they arrive during the second half of March and first half of 
April, none being seen after May 15. Farther north at the mouth of the Kolyma River they arrive 
as late as May 31 (Thayer and Bangs, 1914) and proceed to nest immediately, while on the Boganida, 
far in the northw'est, A. von Middendorff (1853) tells us they do not arrive before June 12, after 
which date they are found nesting. 
Practically no data are to be found concerning the autumn migration, excepting that they leave 
the Boganida by August 23 (A. von Middendorff, 1853) and pass Lake Baikal going south. In this 
connection Taczanowski (1893) remarks that these Teal are rarely observed in autumn, and that they 
pass very suddenly. We have no record of the occurrence of the species on Yezo or on the Kuriles, 
but it unquestionably passes over the former, and very probably occurs on the latter islands. 
The Formosan Teal has occurred a few times in India, usually in winter, specimens having 
been taken in Calcutta, 1844; Sultanpore near Delhi, 1879; Guzerat; and lastly in the Punjab, in 
Sind and in x\ssam (Hume and Marshall, 1879; Baker, 1908; Finn, 1909). Degland and Gerbe 
(1867) mention five specimens taken on the Saone, near Eperv^ans, in France in November, 1836, 
and one taken at Douai in 1841. Ghidini (Rev. Ital. di Omit., 1915) speaks of four records for Italy, 
one of which undoubtedly is that of an example shot at Modena in December, 1882. Recently a 
specimen was taken from a company of three, on the Island of Malta (Despott, 1917). In the Nether- 
lands it has been taken near Brussels in November, 1888 (Dubois, 1890), and at Groningen in March 
(Leege, 1910). More recently nine or ten specimens, said to have been taken in Limburg, were found 
in the Brussels Market, but these had probably been imported from China (Dubois, 1912), and of 
the other specimens the majority are very likely birds escaped from zoological gardens. Procter 
recorded a case of its nesting in Iceland in 1837, but it is diflicult to conceive of this record being 
true. Hantzsch (1905) suggests that the capture of four specimens in France in the preceding year 
may indicate a rather large flight in Europe, of which a few found their way to Iceland and possibly 
even bred. I am equally at a loss to explain the statement of Daniloff (1864) that the species siun- 
mers and breeds in the southeastern part of the Orel Government in central Russia. The author 
must unquestionably have mistaken the species. 
GENERAL HABITS 
Haunts. Our information about the habits of this little duck is too meager to 
justify comparison with those of the European Teal. The Formosan Teal is cer- 
tainly not closely related to the true Teals, and the voice, general behavior and 
appearance are quite distinctive. According to a note by Dorries (1888) no other 
duck in the Ussuri region is seen so much in the dry fields, and it is also said to 
frequent rice-fields in China (Styan, 1891; Seebohm, 1892). I know of nothing 
really characteristic in its choice of surroundings. In the field the adult male is 
unmistakable, while the female is easily recognized by the white spot at the base 
