238 CAS ARC A FERRUGINEA 



but like the vicinity of small streams where there are bare rocks or exposed sand- 

 bars (Finsch, 1879). Throughout central Asia the spring migration takes them from 

 the lowlands to great altitudes, even to the snow-line, where they breed. Parrot 

 (1909) says that in western Tibet they have been found nesting as high as 5700 

 meters. In the western end of its range the winter and summer areas are practically 

 co-extensive, but farther east, in the Caucasus and in the ranges of central Asia 

 there is a marked vertical migration, besides the north and south one. Their haunts 

 in India are the clean sand-banks which break the broad beds of rivers into many 

 channels. Soon after arriving in these winter quarters they separate into pairs, each 

 of which keeps to its own section of the river front (Hume and Marshall, 1879). 

 They prefer clean, clear waters devoid of vegetation, and with open banks. Small 

 dirty ponds or weedy tanks are resorted to only in distress (Baker, 1908). 



Wariness. The Ruddy Sheldrake is unquestionably one of the most intelligent 

 of water-fowl, ranking in this respect, rather with the geese and swans than with the 

 ducks. So well acquainted are they with man and his ways, that in many regions 

 they will not take the trouble to rise until approached almost within range of a gun. 

 Where persecuted, they resort to many devices to safeguard themselves. Scully 

 (1876) speaks of their posting sentinels at some distance from the feeding flock, 

 who sounded the approach of danger, first by a warning cry, and later by a loud 

 scream. On the Sivash Sea, where great numbers assemble in autumn, three scouts 

 were sent out at sunrise to reconnoiter the feeding grounds. These would return 

 and bring back the flock (Radde, 1854). In India they are the bete noire of all sports- 

 men, who compare them in intelligence to the crow. It is, in fact, almost impossible 

 to approach a flock of ducks when any Ruddy Sheldrakes are at hand. Such a situa- 

 tion is vividly described by Hume and Marshall (1879) in the following words: 

 " You are working down on a lump of fowl — a few minutes more and you will be within 

 range. Suddenly the loud call of the Brahminy sounds, and rising out of a hollow 

 in the sand where they have been squatting, you see a pair waddling to the water's 

 edge. Again and again the pair call and answer (side by side as they are one would 

 think that save out of sheer spite they need not shout at each other thus), then, with 

 a rapid chuckle off they go, their wings clattering as they rise, like a train on an iron 

 culvert, and with them of course go all the fowl." Other ducks, he says, may shun 

 the haunts of men, but these birds calculate the danger so closely that they seem 

 oblivious of the presence of man and merely choose the places which suit their con- 

 venience, "thoroughly confident in their own ceaseless watchfulness." At a great 

 fair on the banks of the Ganges Hume saw two pairs calmly standing on the shore 

 near a place where 200,000 people were bathing, the roar of this multitude sounding 

 a mile away, while scores of boats were plying back and forth ceaselessly. Hundreds 

 of gaudy flags were fluttering from the gigantic bamboos planted on the water's 



