312 
ANAS ACUTA 
Africa 
Asia 
I find no authentic record of the Pintail having ever bred in Africa, although its occurrence as late 
as May at various localities along the Nile has led some writers to think that such might be the case. 
At Khartum it has been seen as late as June 1 (Vierthaler, fide Naumann, 1896- 1905). 
In southeastern Europe and southwestern Asia it breeds in Astracan (Seebohm, 1882) 
and at Sarepta on the Volga (Moeschler, 1853) as well as throughout the Kirgis (Susch- 
kin, 1900; Nazarow, 1887) and undoubtedly also in Orenburg (Zarudny, 1889-90). The species 
breeds in the Caucasus (Radde, 1884) and in Transcaucasia on Lake Gotschai (Grosmann.^de Nau- 
mann, 1896-1905). Both Radde (1886) and Zarudny (1911) state that it nests rarely on the south 
Caspian, and the latter (1886, 1889-90) was told that it nested in Transcaspia at Merv; he himself 
found it on the Tedshen River in May. In Turkestan its southern breeding limit seems to be the 
mountain range of northern Persia and northern Afghanistan. Of course it does not breed in the des- 
ert regions of Turkestan north of Persia, that is, in the Kara-kum Desert, on the Ust-urt plateau, or 
the Kysyl-kum Desert, but it does nest in southeastern Turkestan, at least in Pamir (Severtzoff, 
1883). Its status in this region is stiU far from being definitely determined, but I am quite confident 
that, like most species, it does not breed south of Pamir in the northwestern Himalaya region. East 
of Pamir, however, it breeds in northern Yarkand (Scully, 1876; Koslow, 1899) as well as in southern 
Kashgaria (Koslow, 1899). I do not doubt that it breeds in the W'estern Tien-shan, and on Lake 
Issyk-kul, though I can find no evidence to substantiate this opinion. North of this region it breeds 
everywhere in central Asia and western Siberia, more rarely, of course, in the southern parts than in 
the north. Finsch (1879) found the species on the Ala-kul in May, and on the Marka-kul in June. 
Suschkin (1913) tells us that it breeds in the Russian Altai, and in Minussinsk, but this is perhaps its 
eastern limit in this region, for the birds certainly do not breed in the Dsungari Desert and probably 
not in the extreme eastern Altai. In central Asia the species was foimd in July in the Akmolinsk 
Government, and there can be no doubt of its breeding there (Bianchi, 1902). Passing northward the 
species breeds throughout the Tomsk and Tobolsk Governments, commonly on Lake Chany (Finsch, 
1879; P. and J. Zalesski, 1915). It was also met with on the Tabol River at Jalutorow'sk and on the 
lower Ob at Obdorsk (Finsch, 1879). On the Shchuchja River, which flows into the Ob on the left 
below Obdorsk, young were taken in August (Finsch, 1879). Farther north still it has been recorded 
for the Yamal Peninsula by Zitkov (1912) and westward for the Arctic island Waigats by Popham 
(1898). Passing eastward again, we find the species breeding abundantly in the valley of the Jenesei 
north to 72° (Popham, 1897, 1898) and south to Jeneseisk (Seebohm, 1879, 1880; Popham, 1897, 
1898), although Palmen (1887) gives 70° 30' as its northern limit on the Jenesei. A. von Middendorff 
(1853) found the species breeding on the Boganida. The southern limit of the breeding range in east- 
ern Siberia is also rather vague, but we may assume that, as wdth many other species, the Pintail also 
breeds south to the northern boundary of the Mongolian deserts. Lonnberg (1909) has recorded 
specimens taken May 22 to 25 near Bura, and thinks it undoubtedly nests in northern Mongolia. 
The species breeds rarely south of 55°, however, and Radde (1863) found this to be true 
in the eastern Sajan Mountains, while Taczanowski (1874) says the same for Transbai- 
kalia. On the middle Amur the Pintail is not uncommon (Radde, 1863) and breeds also 
on the Sungari (von Schrenck, 1859). Prjevalski (1878) says it undoubtedly breeds on the Dalai-nor, 
and it certainly does so, sparingly at least, on Lake Hanka. He speaks of it as abundant also on the 
lakes of the Hoang-ho valley, but he must be referring to migration. Oustalet (1894) interpreting his 
English differently, concludes that it breeds there, a position which hardly seems tenable. Lake Hanka 
is a southern record for eastern Siberia, and even farther north the species is rare in the Amur country 
(von Homeyer, 1870), especially at the mouth of the river (von Schrenck, 1859). I am unable to say 
whether it breeds on Saghalin or not, but Borrissow {fide Hesse, 1915) found it there in May, and 
also took eggs which he thought belonged to this duck. Thayer and Bangs (1916) have recorded 
specimens taken in May at Sakachana. Taken all in all I believe the birds probably nest on the 
island, at least in the northern sections. I find no information concerning any occurrence on the Lena 
Mongolia 
Siberia 
