370 THE GAME BIRDS AND WILD FOWL 



during the day, paddling about in the shallows and searching the 

 bottom of the water, with the fore part of the body entirely under 

 the surface and the hind-quarters bolt upright. It swims well and 

 buoyantly, and rises from the water with a single bound at a 

 rather acute angle, continuing for several yards before hurrying 

 away on a horizontal course. Its flight is rapid and straight- 

 forward, and the long, pointed wings make a peculiar whistling 

 sound as they are beaten rapidly through the air. The note of 

 the Gadwall very closely resembles the well-known quack of the 

 Mallard, but is uttered oftener and is weaker and sharper in 

 tone. It is a much more noisy bird than the Mallard, and whilst 

 feeding in localities where it is not disturbed keeps up a shrill, 

 feeble, and perpetual chatter. The present species is very sociable, 

 and fraternises with all kinds of Water Fowl, even with Geese. 

 It swims well and lightly, and walks on land in a rather graceful 

 manner, sometimes running about the marshy land in quest of 

 insects. It dives easily when wounded, but never does so whilst 

 feeding. The food of the Gadwall consists of the seeds, leaves, 

 and buds of rushes and other aquatic plants, wild and cultivated 

 rice, insects and their larvte, worms, frogs, and small fish. Hume 

 states that small butterflies and moths are caught by this Duck. 

 The flesh of this Duck as a rule is very good, especially in India 

 as long as the rice lasts, but it is of poor flavour if the bird has 

 been feeding much on an animal diet. 



Nidification. — The Gadwall usually begins to breed in May, 

 and the eggs are laid towards the end of that month or early in 

 June, both in the Old World and the New World. The nest is 

 usually well concealed amongst the vegetation on the banks of the 

 water, but occasionally it has been met with some distance from 

 the pool or stream. A tussock of sedge is a favourite situation, 

 and the nest is sometimes surrounded by shallow water. It- is 

 merely a hollow in the ground strewn with dry grass and bits 

 of dead vegetation, and warmly lined with down from the body 

 of the female. The eggs are from six to thirteen in number, 

 ten being an average clutch. They are huffish white or cream 

 colour with a faint greenish tinge, very smooth in texture and 

 somewhat glossy, and measure on an average 2T inches in length 

 by I '5 inch in breadth. Down neutral gray, with scarcely per- 



