SrOTT ED-BILLED DUCK. 175 



Nerbudda, and have only shot it myself near Mhow, and lately in 

 Kumaon. It has not yet occurred in Bengal. It appears to 

 remain all the year in Cashmere, and to breed in that country, as 

 Theobald found the eggs there in May. It is found throughout 

 the Northern Hemisphere, breeding in temperate regions. It is 

 one of the best Ducks for the table, and, as is well known, is the 

 origin of our domestic Duck. 



The birds of the next group have a plain and spotted character 

 of plumage, and appear peculiar to tropical and southern regions. 



16. Anas poecilorhyncha, Pennant. 



Blyth, Cat. 1773— Jerdon, Cat. 387— Sykes, Cat. 218— 

 Hardwicke, 111. Ind. Zool., pi. — Garm-pai, H, of some Falconers 

 — Bata of some. 



The Spotted-billed Duck. 



Descr. — Top of the head and nape dark sepia brown, with some 

 pale brown edgings ; a dark brown line from the upper mandible 

 through the eye ending in a point ; supercilium, whole face, and 

 neck dingy fulvous with small brown streaks, enlarging on the 

 lower neck ; upper plumage, including the lesser and median wing- 

 coverts and scapulars, hair-brown ; greater coverts white, edged 

 with deep black ; primaries brown ; secondaries, forming a con- 

 spicuous speculum, glossy green, with a black tip, narrowly edged 

 with white on the innermost feathers ; tertiaries white externally, 

 (forming a continuous line with the white coverts), hair-brown 

 internally ; lower back and rump black ; tail deep brown ; beneath, 

 from the breast pale earthy or dingy white, with numerous brown 

 spots, increasing in size on the abdomen and flanks ; vent and 

 under tail-coverts deep blackish-brown. 



Bill blackish with a red spot at the base, and the tip yellow ; 

 irides brown ; legs and feet orange-yellow. Length 24 to 25 

 inches ; wing 12 ; tail 4 ; bill at front 2£ ; tarsus 2 ; mid-toe 2 J. 

 Sexes alike. 



This fine Duck is almost peculiar to India, including Ceylon, and 

 is found throughout the whole country of which it is a permanent 

 resident; it is also found in Burmah. It frequents by preference* 



