591 



in May the same year at a large pond near Franzensbad, and remarks that several were killed at 

 Eozpalovic. Mr. Seidensacher informed me that one was shot near Cilli, in Styria, and is now 

 in the museum of that town ; and the Bitter von Tschusi Schmidhofen says that the Eev. Mr. 

 Hanf shot two females on the Surt pond in April. 



In Transylvania it is, Messrs. Danford and Harvie-Brown write (Ibis, 1875, p. 420) " rare. 

 It has been got near Hermanstadt, and occasionally occurs in the Strell valley, more frequently 

 during the spring migration. Herr Otto records a pair from the Mezoseg, of which the female 

 was suffering severely from tapeworm." It is not uncommon on the Southern Danube, and 

 breeds in the salt marshes near Kustendji, in Turkey ; and Professor von Nordmann states that 

 it is abundant on the shores of the Black Sea. It is found in Asia Minor ; and, according to 

 Canon Tristram, it is resident throughout the year in Palestine, where he found it breeding on a 

 small marshy lake in the centre of the country near Jenin. 



In Africa it has been obtained as far south as the Cape colony. Von Heuglin states that it 

 occurs in almost all parts of North-east Africa visited by him, but he never observed it on the 

 coasts of Arabia, the highlands of Habesch, and the Upper White Nile, south of the Gazelle 

 Biver. It is more numerous in the winter than in the summer; but he obtained its eggs in the 

 Nile delta, and believes that it also breeds in Central Egypt, the Fayoom, and Nubia, and 

 possibly on the Tana lake and in the marshes of Sennaar and East Kordofan. It is found in 

 Madagascar, and probably in many parts of the east coast of Africa. Mr. Harting informs me that 

 he has examined and carefully compared specimens from Madagascar of the so-called H. minor, 

 and has convinced himself that there is no specific difference between it and the European bird. 



In North-west Africa it is common and resident. Mr. Salvin found it breeding in Algeria ; 

 and Canon Tristram states (Ibis, 1860, p. 79) that it breeds at Laghouat, but more abundantly in 

 the Northern Sahara, and in the winter it resorts to the ditches of the oases ; but Mr. J. H. 

 Gurney, jun., remarks (Ibis, 1871, p. 299) that it is now exceedingly rare at Laghouat, and 

 appears to have quite forsaken that place. Favier says that " it is not found close to Tangier, 

 but frequents freshwater lakes further south, where many remain for the breeding-season ; 

 others, arriving during the month of April, pass on northwards and return in November. They 

 appear to migrate by night." It has been recorded from various parts of the west coast of 

 Africa. It has been obtained at Senegal. Pel records it from Accra, on the Gold Coast, whence 

 Mr. J. Smith (Ibis, 1872, p. 293) has sent specimens ; and Dr. A. Beichenow states (J. f. O. 1874, 

 p. 376) that he observed it in small flocks on the Gold Coast. According to Mr. Andersson (B. 

 of Damara L. p. 316) it is sparingly met with in the middle and northern parts of Damara Land, 

 but more frequently in the lake-regions and on the river Okavango. There is, Mr. Gurney adds, 

 a specimen in Mr. Harting's collection obtained by Mr. Andersson in Ondonga on the 6th 

 November, 1866. It has, Mr. E. L. Layard states, only once been obtained in the Cape colony, 

 a specimen having been killed on the Cape flats by Mr. Dumbleton. I may also add that, 

 according to Dr. C. Bolle (J. f. 0. 1857, p. 337), it has been obtained on the island of Canaria. 



To the eastward it has been met with as far as North China, and southward in Asia to 

 Luzon. Mr. Blanford met with it in Persia, and saw some on the Shiraz lake on the 8th June ; 

 so it is probable that some breed there. In Baluchistan he frequently observed it in the winter 

 months. Dr. Severtzoff states that it breeds throughout Turkestan in suitable localities ; and in 



