92 RHODONESSA CARYOPHYLLACEA 



always on enclosed waters surrounded by much cover. Occasionally in cold weather 

 it resorts to open rivers (Baker, 1908). 



The Pink-head is not a perching duck and is seldom seen moving about from place 

 to place. It seems to be a shy and wary bird. According to Jerdon (1864) it spends 

 the heat of the day in the middle of a tank (pond), and Hodgson (quoted by Hume) 

 states that it feeds at night. In general its habits are very unlike those of the tree- 

 nesting species, such as the Comb or White-winged Ducks, and resemble much more 

 those of a true surface-feeding duck like the Spot-bill. Finn (1915), however, once 

 saw it dive very neatly, and stay under "as long as a Pochard," though apparently 

 only in play. Nothing much has been recorded as to the nature of the flight of this 

 species beyond a note of Parker's (quoted by Hume), who says the flight is power- 

 ful and rapid, and Finn's remark that it is "light and easy." 



The Pink-head is seen during the cold season in companies of from four to eight, 

 and rarely in flocks numbering twenty or even thirty (Shillingford, quoted by Hume) . 

 Simson (1884) did not find it associating with other ducks, though in winter it 

 must almost of necessity be found associating with numbers of migrant species. 



The voice of this bird is, in the male, a peculiar mellow two-syllable call, often 

 uttered, and sounding like the syllables wugh-ah, with a metallic ring to it (Finn, 

 1901). Shillingford describes it as being similar to that of a common drake, "with a 

 slight musical ring about it." The duck's call is said to be a loud quacking note. 

 The trachea is entirely different in the two sexes, which probably explains the weaker 

 voice in the male, in which sex there is a slight fusiform dilatation, and lower down, 

 a well-developed syringeal box, larger on the left side. In the female the trachea and 

 syrinx are simple. Anatomical figures are given by Garrod (1875). That authority 

 remarks that the syrinx shows fuliguline affinities besides a superficial resemblance 

 to that of the Comb Duck (Sareidiomis). 



Food. Practically nothing of interest is recorded. One gizzard examined con- 

 tained water-weeds and various small shells. 



Courtship and Nesting. During the month of April these birds begin to pair, 

 and are said by Shillingford to go up to the central or higher parts of the Purneah 

 District. The nest is placed in the center of tufts of tall grass, well hidden, and dif- 

 ficult to find, generally not more than five hundred yards from the water. The nest 

 is well formed of dry grass, interspersed with a few feathers, 227 mm. in diameter 

 and 102 mm. to 127 mm. deep, with no special lining. Both male and female have 

 been found in the vicinity of the nest, and it is possible that the former occasionally 

 assists in incubating, for Shillingford found that it lost much weight during the 

 breeding season. Hume and Marshall (1879) describe the eggs as very peculiar, and 

 quite unlike those of any other duck. They are nearly spherical, while the shell is 



