176 WILD FOWL OF INDIA. 



but not exclusively, well wooded districts, sequestered tanks, and 

 marshy ground, and in the cold season spreads sparingly over 

 the barest districts where tanks abound. It is usually met with in 

 small parties, rarely more than from eight to twenty, and generally 

 fewer. I have seen it most abundant in Western Mysore and in 

 Eastern Bengal. It nidificates on the ground, among long grass, 

 laying eight or ten greenish-white eggs. The voice is very like 

 that of the wild Duck, but is not often repeated. Its flight is rather 

 slow and heavy. It is one of the very best Ducks for the table, 

 in my opinion rivalling the Mallard, Gadwall, and Red-crested 

 Pochard. 



Other allied species are A. flavirostris, A. Smith, and A. 

 guttata, Licht., from Africa ; and there are others from the 

 Oceanic region. A closely allied species from North Africa was 

 considered the same by Kuppell, but Blyth distinguished it, naming 

 it A. Rilppellii. 



The next species has been separated as Rhodonessa by Eeich- 

 enbach. 



17. Anas caryophyllacea, Latham. 



Blyth, Cat. 1774— Jerdon, Cat. 368— Jerdon, 111. Ind. Orn., 

 pi. 34 — Gray Hid. Genera of Birds, pi. — Lal-sira, H. of some. 



The Pink-headed Duck. 



Descr. — Male, with the head, cheeks, sides of neck, and hind 

 neck, beautiful pale rosy-pink, with, in the breeding season, a 

 small tuft of still brighter rosy on the top of the head ; the rest 

 of the plumage fine glossy dark chocolate-brown, paler and less 

 glossed beneath ; speculum and the inner webs of many of the 

 quills pale reddish fawn or dull salmon colour; edge of the 

 wino- white ; uppermost tertiaries rich glossy-green ; lower wing- 

 coverts and quills beneath pale dull pink colour, with a sating 

 lustre. 



Bill reddish-white, rosy at the base and faintly bluish at the tip ; 

 irides fine orange-red ; legs and feet blackish, with a tinge of red. 

 Length 24 inches ; wing 11^; extent 39 ; tail 4£ ; bill at front 

 2i ; tarsus 2 J ; mid-toe 2f . 



