1074 ANAS PCECILOEHYNCHA. 



with violet, tipped with velvety black, and with narrow white extremities ; inner webs brown ; outer webs of the 

 elongated tertials dull white on the terminal portions ; tail deep brown, with narrow fulvous-grey margins ; an 

 indication of a pale stripe from the bill over the eye, at the posterior corner of which is a dark patch ; throat, 

 face, and neck dull whitish, the feathers with dark mesial lines, except on the chin and upper throat ; chest and 

 under surface buff-white, with sepia-brown centres to the feathers ; abdomen brown, with pale edgings ; under 

 tail-coverts black ; under wing and axillaries pure white. 



Female (August, Futtehgurh). Bill reddish black ; legs and feet greenish yellow. 



Slightly paler on the back, the pale margins of the feathers broader; upper tail-eoverts tipped with buff -grey ; specu- 

 lum not so brilliant as in the male ; the white subterminal band on the greater coverts broader ; the brown centres 

 of the under-surface feathers smaller ; the feathers of the abdomen and under tail-coverts edged with greyish 

 white. A second example differs from the male in precisely the same manner ; but the under-surface feathers 

 are washed with buff, and there is a brownish-buff terminal band on the innermost greater wing-coverts. 



Obs. In this species, as in the Pacific Wild Duck, A. superciliosus, there is no change of plumage in the male during 

 autumn, as the dress of both sexes is so nearly alike. 



I regret to say that I have no data concerning the plumage of the nestling or the immature in their first autumn. The 

 former is probably covered with brown down above and yellowish white beneath. Full descriptions will no doubt 

 appear in Mr. Hume's ' Game-Birds of India.' 



This Wild Duck is represented in China and Mongolia by a closely-allied form with the same plumage, but with a 

 yellow band across the bill, and which has been named A. zonorhyncha by Hwinhoe. The beautiful Pink-headed 

 Duck, A. caryophyllacea, Linn., has been found as far south as Madras, and might some day migrate to Ceylon 

 as a straggler. The head and neck are very pale pink ; plumage chocolate-brown ; speculum salmon-colour, and 

 the under wing-coverts pink. " Wing 11-i- inches, bill at front 2| ; irides fine orange-red" (Jerdon ). 



Distribution. — Although this fine Wild Duck is occasionally seen on the tanks in the north and east of 

 the island, I have never met with it myself. During my stay at Trincomalie I heard of it as occurring at 

 Mullaittivu ; and Mr. Varian, of the Public Works Department, has observed it on several occasions on the 

 Topoor tank. Layard speaks of it as being not unfrcquently met with on tanks in the Anaradhapura district ; 

 but my correspondent Mr. Parker has not observed it there or in the North-west Provinces. I have heard of its 

 being seen at Ambare and Irukkamam tanks and also in the Yala district ; and further south it is said to have 

 occurred on the Matara river. It is probably only a cold-weather migrant from the south of India, and doubt- 

 occurs on passage in the island of Delft, which is a famous resort of Ducks. 



It is spread throughout India, being very common on the plains, and extending into the lower parts of 

 .' i Himalayas, and likewise into Burinah, being said by Blyth to occur in Tenasserim; but Mr. Davison has 

 never met with it there. In the Indian peninsula it is common in the Deccan, and probably breeds there 

 {Davidson) , rare in Chota Nagpur, and recorded from Sambalpur, Nowagarh, Karial, Sirguja, aud Manbhum. 

 From Julpigoorie also Captain Beavan notes it. About Calcutta it is not very common according to 

 Mr. Hume, and in the Furrecdpore district it does not seem to occur. In the North-west Provinces and 

 seemingly throughout the plains of Bengal it is plentiful, and westward ranges as far as Sindh, where it 

 • pretty common, but not so numerous as the Mallard. At the Sambhur Lake it is resident, but most 

 udant during the rains ; in Guzcrat it is common, as also in Kutch and Kattiawar. 



Habits. — The " Grey Duck," which is one of the finest members of its genus in the world, is entirely a 

 freshwater species, frequenting tanks in wooded districts, marshes, and reedy streams, and when spread over 

 the country in the non-breeding time is now and then found on small pools and sheets of water. It is not 

 very gregarious, going about usually in pairs or in small flocks of less than a dozen ; it is much sought after 

 in India, owing to its size and the excellent quality of its flesh, and it affords good and easy shooting, being 

 rather slow <m the wing. Like most true Ducks, it feeds on grain, seeds, and vegetable matter procured in 

 water, and is said to swallow gravel and small stones, which assist it in digesting its food. It is very difficult, 

 writes Captain Butler, to procure when wounded, as it dives freely, and seldom shows more than its bill above 

 water; it also appears to have the faculty of remaining under water a long time, as the same writer speaks of a 

 " flapper " which wa"s caught, after diving a considerable distance, while taking " refuge in a thick mass of weeds 

 at the bottom of the tank, 3 feet deep, from which moist retreat he was extracted by one of the beaters, who 



