150 DENDROCYGNA JAVA NIC A 



In the East Indies this species is common in Sumatra and in Java, specifically at Batavia, and on 

 the coasts (Vorderman, 1884; von Pelzeln, 1865, Koningsberger, 1915), and it is found also in Borneo, 

 East though records for this island appear to be exclusively for the southeastern sections at 



Indies Bangkan (Grabowsky, 1885) and at Banjermassing (W. Blasius, 1884; Mottley, 1863). 



It is not known to occur in the Philippines, nor in any of the islands east of Borneo. There are, how- 

 ever, several records for China. According to Hartert (1910) it has been found on Hainan in April 

 and May. Vaughan and Jones (1913) say it has been observed on several occasions 

 during the summer months in the vicinity of Hong Kong and Macao. They speak 

 of a company of twelve seen on July 23, and a flock of twenty seen on August 3 , in this 

 general region. Another was flushed from a small island on the Upper Si-kiang in western Kwang-si. 

 In view of these facts it seems to me quite evident that the species is more than a straggler in south- 

 western China. Rickett (Ibis, ser. 6, vol. 6, p. 225, 1894, and ser. 7, vol. 6, p. 58, 1900) took speci- 

 mens near Foochow in November. Recently a specimen has been recorded from Formosa, June 16 

 (Uchida, 1912), and Styan (1889) has recorded it from Soochowon the Lower Yangtse, near Shang- 

 hai. This seems to be the northernmost record for the species, but off the coast it has been taken in the 

 Loo-choo or Riu-kiu Islands. Specimens have been taken in this archipelago on the Yayeyama 

 Group, specifically on Ishigaki, Kobama and Iriomoti Islands (Stejneger, 1887; Ogawa, 1905; Ows- 

 ton, 1899). 



Speculation has been aroused by a specimen of this species found in the market of Turin, Italy, and 

 killed near Canavese on December 3, 1876 (Giglioli, 1886). It was probably an escaped bird, though 

 the fact that the species is not very commonly imported alive, and that very few were, at that time, 

 in European zoological gardens seemed to militate against this view. 



GENERAL HABITS 



Practically all that is known of the habits of this species is to be found summed 

 up in the works of Hume and Marshall (1879) and of Baker (1908). Its movements 

 throughout India are dependent on the water supply, so that in some portions it is a 

 seasonal visitor only. 



Haunts. This is a bird of the low countries, rarely if ever ascending into the hills. 

 Hume speaks of its preference for moderate-sized pieces of water surrounded by 

 trees, and says it is absent in some treeless parts of Rajputana where other ducks 

 abound. In spite of its partiality for lakes and ponds there are certain rivers in 

 India where the species is found in tremendous numbers. Baker says, to find them 

 on rivers or open, clean pieces of water is exceptional. In the southern Malay Penin- 

 sula they frequent particularly, small weedy lakes surrounded by jungle, where 

 Kelham (1882) found them in thousands from February to April. The birds leave 

 this region before the middle of June, only a few remaining to breed. In Ceylon, 

 also, their habitat is the region of tanks surrounded by forests, especially such tanks 

 as are overgrown with lotus leaves. They are not found on the river estuaries or 

 brackish lagoons. 



Wariness. The natural disposition of these birds is to be tame and far more 

 trusting than other water-fowl, even more so than the Fulvous Tree Duck. A good 



