OF THE BEITISH ISLANDS. 371 



Allied forms. — Querquedula discors, one of the two representative 

 American species, which have occurred in our Islands, forms the subject of the 

 following chapter. Q. cyanoptera, the second representative species of the New 

 World. An inhabitant of Western America from the Columbia Eiver to Chili, 

 Buenos Ayres, and the Falkland Islands ; of only accidental occurrence in the 

 Eastern States. It is distinguished from the Garganey by having the under tail 

 coverts black, and by the uniform chestnut head and neck. 



Habits. — The aversion of the Garganey to cold is displayed very decidedly 

 in several ways. In the first place the birds' geographical area nowhere extends 

 into an Arctic climate ; and, secondly, its migrations are performed much earlier 

 in autumn and later in spring than those of most if not all other Palsearctic Ducks. 

 These remarks apply as much to the individuals breeding in Europe as to 

 those breeding in Asia, where the climate is much more severe than with us. 

 The Garganey leaves the northern limits of its range in Europe long before 

 winter, and in India it is the earliest duck to arrive in autumn, large flights 

 appearing towards the end of August, slowly reaching the southern districts in 

 October and November. It lingers in India until the end of April or early May, 

 beginning to leave the southern portions of that country in March. The Gar- 

 ganey is decidedly a fresh-water species with us, but in its winter quarters in 

 India and other places it is more maritime, frequenting creeks and estuaries as 

 well as inland waters. Whilst on passage, and in its winter haunts, the Garganey 

 is gregarious, forming into flocks of from a dozen to a hundred individuals, which 

 as they invariably keep well together, afford most effective shots for the swivel 

 gun. In India the Garganey affects by choice the rather large broads and 

 swamps where plenty of aquatic herbage grows, shunning bare lakes, rivers, and 

 small ponds. It is neither a very wild nor a very wary species, and approached more 

 easily in a punt than most other Ducks. It rises quickly from the water and its 

 flight is rapid and strong, but almost silent, although when large flocks of birds 

 pass directly overhead a very distinct swishing sound is produced. When flushed 

 from dry ground, however, its first movements are rather clumsy and laboured. 

 It not only swims well and lightly, sitting well out of the water, but dives readily 

 when wounded. The food of the Garganey is chiefly of a vegetable nature inland, 

 but on the coast an animal diet is more usual. It consists of the buds, leaves, 

 shoots, seeds, and roots of various aquatic plants, and in India of rice, both wild 

 and cultivated; insects and their larvae, frogs, worms, mollusks, and crustaceans. 

 The Garganey is for the most part a night feeder, and at such times it has been 

 known to visit rice-fields in such numbers as to destroy acres of the crop in a few 

 hours. The call-note of the Garganey is a harsh quack, and is common to both sexes ; 

 but during the breeding season the drake makes a harsh Eail-like crrick. It is not 

 a garrulous bird when in flocks. The flesh of this Duck is not very palatable, even 

 when the bird has been obtained under the most favourable conditions as to diet. 



