288 anatidjE. 



flushed this hird in such a haunt in the interior of the Graro Hills. 

 I am informed by Mr. James, of the Police at Samaguting, that it 

 breeds on the Dunsiri, and that he had shot the young birds." 



Anas boscas, Linn. The Wild Bade. 



Anas boschas {Linn?), Jerd. B. Ind. n, p. 798; Hume, Rough 

 Draft N. ^ E. no. 958. 



The Wild Duck, or Mallard, only breeds within oui- limits, so 

 far as we yet know, in the marshes and lakes of Cashmere. 

 There it nests abundantly, building its coarse grass nest, more or 

 less lined with down or feathers, in clumps of rushes, beneath the 

 overhanging grass at the edges of watercoiu'ses or even in rice- 

 fields. 



It lays in May and the first week in June. Twelve is the 

 largest number of eggs seen in any nest by my collector (a native), 

 w ho examined hundreds of them. There is quite a trade in the 

 eggs of this species and Faligula nyroca at Sirinugger, and my 

 man went out daily almost for a month in one of the egging boats. 

 The boatmen told him that they had found as many as sixteen 

 eggs in one Mallard's nest ! 



Mr. Brooks says, in epistold : — " The Mallard's nest I took 

 was amongst rushes in a rather dry spot of one of the Cashmere 

 lakes ; it was built of straw and dry rushes, and lined with the 

 bird's own down." 



Mr. W. Theobald makes the following remarks on the nidifi- 

 cation of this species in the Valley of Cashmere : — " Lays in the 

 first «eek of May. Eggs, long ovato-pyriform. Size '2-21 by 

 l-oo. Colour, dirty white with a fringe of yellowish green near 

 sepia." 



The late Major Cock wrote to me that this species " breeds in 

 large numbers on the Anchar Dall and other lakes in Cashmere 

 during the months of May and June ; boat-loads of their eggs are 

 brought to the Sirinugger bazaars for sale, together with the eggs 

 of the Coot and White-eyed Duck. The Mallard breeds near the 

 water in among reeds or high grass, lays six, eight, or more eggs, 

 of a peculiar oil-green colour. The nest is formed of dried grass 

 or flag with a little down from the bird's breast, and placed under 

 an overhanging tuft of grass or rush. The female sits close and 

 allows you to come very near before she leaves her eggs." I may 

 add that she will allow herself to be captured by hand on the nest, 

 if the eggs are near hatching." 



The eggs of the Mallard vary a good deal in size and colour. 

 In shape they differ little, and are moderately broad regular ovals, 

 not unfrequently slightly compressed towards one end. In texture 

 the shell is very fine and smooth, and has a faint gloss. The egg 

 is quite devoid of markings, and when freshly laid has a dull pale 

 greenish tint ; but as incubation proceeds it changes to a very pale 

 drab or dingy stone-colour, and every intermediate shade is observ- 

 able. In size they differ little from those of the Spotted-biUed Duck, 



