The Garganey. 131 



eastward, having the same distribution on the Pamir as the Pintail, but found 

 more numerous on the rivers. In Turkestan it breeds in several districts, also is 

 reported to breed in Northern India and Burmah. 



In winter the Garganey is common near Aden, southern Persia, September to 

 March; Afghanistan rare; has been obtained at Kandahar end of March; at 

 Gilgit passes through to and from India in September and March and into April ; 

 in India and Burmah it is found in flocks of thousands in winter, leaving again 

 in April ; in South-east China abundant in autumn and spring, and on the Lower 

 Yangtse Basin in April is rather common on passage to the north; it has also 

 been got in Hainan, Borneo, and Celebes. In Japan also in the winter, it is not 

 easy to understand where the Japan birds migrate from, their presence being 

 suggestive of an extension of the breeding range into the north-eastern districts 

 of Asia. 



The Summer Teal which visit the eastern parts of England in the spring are 

 always in pairs, and there is some reason to suppose that they enter England in 

 the extreme south-west, and pass across the country to the eastern side. I am 

 not able to speak much of their habits from actual experience, but having flushed 

 a pair occasionally when fishing on a small stream in North Lincolnshire in the 

 spring, am able to afErm that they rise very quickly and almost perpendicularly 

 from the water and fly with great rapidity. On the wing they look larger and 

 darker than the Teal and have a longer neck, carrying their head well out before 

 them. 



The nest of the Garganey is said to be placed in the most inaccessible reed 

 beds ; Mr. Southwell, however, (" Birds of Norfolk," Vol. Ill), shews that it is 

 very frequently placed in high and open situations, carefully concealed in a tuft 

 of coarse grass, the nest itself is described as very deeply cup-shaped, composed 

 of grass and thickly lined with down from the parent bird, so as to make it very 

 suug and warm. The down of a Duck's nest is often a great assistance in diag- 

 nosing the species, in this case it is very dark and differs from that of Q. crecca 

 in having white tips, and it can hardly be mistaken for the down of any other 

 species. The eggs vary from eight to fourteen, and are exactly like those of the 

 Teal, but slightly larger, bufiish- white or cream coloured ; incubation lasts about 

 three weeks. The young very much resemble those of the Mallard. I know of 

 no Duck so late as this is in getting its full plumage in the autumn moult. The 

 flesh of the Garganey is of little esteem for the table. 



Lord Lilford says that his principal acquaintance with this Duck was in 

 Turkey and Andalucia ; "it arrived in the former country in very large flocks 

 about the end of February and remained throughout March in the tamarisk and 



