PREFACE 
OME apology is perhaps necessary for the title 
of this book, since the “ Ducks” herein dealt 
with belong not to the quack-quack tribe. 
“Bombay Ducks” is a time-honoured Anglo- 
Indian expression. 
In the palmy days of the East India Company, when 
the now-barren pagoda-tree showered its fruits upon all 
who shook it, the European residents of the Western 
Presidency were known as Bombay Ducks to distinguish 
them from Bengal Qui-his and Madras Mulls. 
In very early times “ Ducks” was spelt “ Duckys” and 
is probably a corruption of the Latin duces=leaders or 
“ bosses,” 
Dwellers in Bombay are no longer called ducks, 
nevertheless the expression Bombay Ducks or Bombay 
Duck still survives. 
It now denotes (I know not why) brittle pieces of 
sun-dried fish which are eaten with curry in South 
India. 
It seems to me that the animals dealt with in this 
volume, all of which are to be found on the “Bombay 
side,” have at least an equal right with pieces of dried 
fish to be called “ Bombay Ducks.” 
