120 WILD DUCKS. 



Tientsin they are plentiful as early as tTie latter part of August, a few 

 also breeding in the vicinity. 



The foregoing six species are the commoner varieties found in 

 North China. We now come to some of tlie less common ducks. Of 

 these the falcated teal (U nctta falcata] is one of the handsomest though 

 not the rarest. It has a dark green head and crest, which reflects a 

 coppery sheen in the sunlight. The breast is grey, closely barred with 

 black, the sides vermiculated while the black and wings are handsomely 

 marked with black and white. Another species is the Mandarin duck 

 (Acx galericulata). The Mandarin duck is smaller than the falcated teal 

 and has a very pretty hood, and large orange coloured feathers, which 

 stand up fVom the back like miniature wings, giving the bird an unreal 

 appearance. It is peculiar, in that it will light on trees, and even builds 

 its nest in hollow trunks. I found these birds breeding freely this 

 summer, along the streams and rivers of the Manchurian forest country. 

 The mothers showed great devotion in the care of their broods, and 

 Would readily expose themselves within striking distance in their efforts 

 to engage my attention, while their young ones escaped into the thick 

 underbrush that lined the streams. The call of these birds is a peculiar 

 whistling note, repeated rapidly as they fly, low and s\^'ift, over the 

 water from one feeding place to another. 



The pochard [Nyroca jerina) is another handsome but rare duck 

 (at least in North China.) It is characterized, and may readily be 

 recognized by its red-brown head and prey vermiculated body feathers. 

 At home, this duck ranks with the mallard as a game bird, and the far 

 famed canvas-back of America is only a large kind of pochard. 



Another rather rare duck is the Baikal or spectacled teal [Qvcr- 

 quedula formosa). This bird is larger than the common teal, has a 

 beautifully marked head, (dark green and buff), pale pinkish-buff breast 

 dotted with black, while the wing coverts are formed of long curved 

 pointed feathers, divided longitudinally into buff and a rich red-brown, 

 by a black median line. I found this species very common in Anhui 

 last winter, and it is sometimes shot in this locality. 



The wigeon (Cliniilcla.'imvs strcpenm) the summer teal or garganey 

 (QurrqucdiiJa circia), tlie tufted duck {Fuligula cristata) the white-eyed 

 pochard (F. frrnigrnDHii) also occur. Of these the stunmcr teal is 

 perhaps the most note-worthy as it appears in great numbers after all 

 the other duck have gone northward. It closely resembles the female 

 of the common teal, but cim always be distinguished by the pronounced 

 white eyebrow, and slatey-blue colour of the back. 



There are two sjiecies of sheldrakes (or sheld-ducks) which some- 

 times appear during the migrations. Of these the ruddy sheldrake 



