GARGANEY TEAL 
365 
whole of this region is touched, primarily during migration. This is true of France and the Low 
Countries especially, and to a lesser extent of Switzerland and what was formerly the Dual Mon- 
archy. It might even be said of all the Mediterranean lands, for even in northwestern Africa the 
Garganey occurs chiefly on passage. In the basins of the Black and the Caspian Seas it is more of a 
breeding species, and this applies also to Russian Central Asia. It is impossible to say whether it 
ever nests in the great Mongolian and Tibetan deserts, but I think it probable that it does so in 
limited numbers. Still, the whole of this great waste region is an area of passage, and to this, China 
proper must be added, for there is no direct evidence that the Garganey ever nests or winters there. 
The longer one deals with the literature on this species the more convinced one becomes that the 
real wintering grounds are in central Africa, in India, and in the ornithologically little-known islands 
of the Malay Archipelago. 
Migration 
I HAVE already had occasion to mention the Garganey ’s extreme sensitiveness to seasonal change. 
We need not be surprised, then, to find it starting south early in the autumn and returning rather 
late in the spring. It seems also to have a strong inclination to linger on the way, so that the journey 
from the breeding to the wintering grounds may cover a considerable period of time. From what 
meager information we possess, it would appear that in the autumn it is more likely to migrate along 
the river routes than along the coasts, and all over western Europe it is a spring passenger, rare in 
the autumn. It seems to go south by a different route as do some of the migrant ducks in North 
America. 
It is very diflBcuIt to give representative migration dates without going into more detail than 
space allows. In the Mediterranean lands the species appears rather early as compared with more 
northern countries. Whereas in the former (Egypt, e.g.) they often arrive by February, yet they 
rarely reach central Europe (Germany) before late March and April. March 16 was the average 
date of arrival in Hungary for the years 1895-1911 (Aquila, vol. 14, p. 112, 1907; vol. 19, p. 144, 
1912). In the autumn they begin to leave northern and central Europe as early as August, and most 
have disappeared by October. They pass through Egypt in October and November, but do not 
reach central Africa until November. In Nigeria they are said not to appear until January. 
Similar conditions obtain in Asia. While the birds leave India from February to March, they do 
not pass through Turkestan until April. In autumn they appear in northern India as early as late 
August or early September, but then they begin to linger, not reaching Ceylon until November, or 
even December. In January and February they are rare in northern India. In the Far East they 
appear in southern China in February and are then seen until April. They reach Ningpo in great 
numbers in March, the lower Yangtse in April and Lake Hanka in May. In autumn the migration 
seems to be more inland, and the species is then very abundant in Tibet. 
A few migration observations made from lighthouses may be of interest (E. von Middendorff, 
1891). 
Shishgin Light, White Sea — several flocks, September 22, 1885; last ones October 8. 
Apsheron Light, Caspian Sea — common autumn migrant in 1886. First ones October 6; big 
flocks December 31. 
Derbent Light, west Caspian Sea — common migrant in spring of 1886. Forty seen March 29 
and others up to April 11. 
Odessa Light, Black Sea — two killed at light at 12 p.m., August 19, 1888, during north-north- 
east storm. 
A male recorded by Hartert (1921) was taken in the central Sahara south of Asben on August 20, 
1920, suggesting one of the migration routes to Nigeria. Hartert suggested that this bird might have 
remained in Africa during the summer, but may it not just as well have been an early autumn 
migrant? 
