ORD. .r^lT.lTORES, 



FAM. ANATIDyE. 

 GEN. DENDROCYGNA. 



PLATE XXIII. 



DENDROCYGNA MAJOR. 



LARGE WHISTLING TEAL. 



Among the many species of Duck found in this country during the cold -weatlier 

 there are but few peculiar to it, the great majority being birds of extended geographical 

 distribution, and ranging from the torrid regions to the limits of the Arctic circle. The 

 genus Dendrocygna however appears to be peculiar to India and its isles, and contams 

 several species, very closely allied indeed, but yet sufficiently characterized as distinct forms. 

 Horsfield indicates other species besides his Javanica, but merely calls them varieties, 

 although the natives, he tells us, distinguish them by separate names. Colonel Sykes has 

 characterized the common species of this country apart from Horsfield's under the name of 

 ' awsm-ee,' and in my Catalogue of Indian birds I described the present species under the 

 name of D. major. It appears contrary to my first supposition to be more generally spread 

 than I had imagined, for I obtained specimens occasionally at Nellore, and Mr. Blyth 

 has procured it at Calcutta where it appears not rare, though not nearly so common or 

 abundant as the smaller species. At Jaulnah in the North of the Deccan it was as common 

 as mcsuree. I have no information of its occurrence out of the peninsula of India, but it 

 is probable enough that it may be one of the Javanese varieties of Horsfield. 



The Dendrocygnce are called "Whistling Teal by sportsmen in India from the sibi- 

 lous cry they have, and their Hindustani name of ' Sillee' also signifies whistler. They 

 are (bund in flocks of va' ious size, frequenting chiefly the smaller and more reedy and 

 grassy tanks. Tlicir flight is more heavy tban that of the generality of the duck tribe, 



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