BIRD-LIFE ON AN INDIAN MARSH. 427 



As a rule they were tame compared with other fowl, and one 

 was pretty certain of bagging a couple or so out of every flock 

 that came across. One summer I kept a number of these Duck 

 in an aviary, in the hope that they would breed, but in this I 

 was disappointed. 



On several occasions I came across the pretty little Tufted 

 Duck (Nyroca fuligula), but for some unknown reason they were 

 very irregular in their migrations, and in some years were almost 

 common, while in the next year perhaps not one would be seen. 

 When rising off the water they skim the surface like a Coot, and 

 dive rather than fly when danger threatens them. 



The Pintail (Dafila acuta) was the wariest of all the Ducks. 

 After firing a shot they would rise up right out of range, and, 

 after circling round once or twice, would fly away, to return 

 no more until all was quiet again. During the cold season of 

 1897-98 these Duck came in such enormous flocks as to cause 

 considerable damage to the rice-crops. I once or twice came 

 across the Shoveler (Spatula clypeata), and on those occasions 

 found it far less shy than many other fowl, and when wounded 

 did not resort to diving. The flesh of the Shoveler is always 

 said to be rank and fishy in flavour. I certainly did not find 

 this the case ; the ones I ate were delicious. 



Both the Cotton Teal {Nettopus coromandelianus) and small 

 Whistling Duck (Dendrocycna javanica) were common and resi- 

 dent on the marsh. In some places I have seen the latter bird 

 in flocks of hundreds; indeed, it was a marvel to me where they 

 all came from. Both these species are good divers, and are 

 seldom recovered if " winged." Early one morning in December 

 I came across a couple of Barred-headed Geese (Anser indicus) 

 feeding in the stubble. 



I remember one bitterly cold morning in December arriving 

 at the marsh for a shoot at 4 a.m. The day was just dawning, 

 and clouds of mist were rising off the water. The first bird I 

 noticed was a Great Crested Grebe (Podicipes cristatus), which 

 looked twice its real size in the weird grey morning light. After 

 chasing it about the water for an hour and a half (trying to get 

 within range, which I could not do on account of its repeated 

 dives), I bagged it — a fine male. This was the only one I got. 

 There were two more, which I tried for another day, but failed 



