MALAYAN ORNITHOLOGY. 199 



ing month they got very restless, and by the middle of June most 

 of them had disappeared, probably having gone north to breed. 



I think there is little doubt that some few remain to nest near 

 the banks of the Pcrak river, in the vicinity of Kuala Kangsa, as 

 at the end of June, after the main body had left, I occasionally 

 came across stragglers in the ruddy breeding plumage. Moreover, 

 Mr. Hugh Low. H.B.M.'s Eesident at Pcrak, told me that the 

 natives brought into Kuala Kangsa young birds but a few weeks 

 old, assuring him that they had been caught in the neighbourhood. 

 This happened in January or February ; so I suppose the birds 

 breed from August or September till early in the year — that is, 

 during the rainy season. 



One cannot base conclusions on the habits .of semidomesticated 

 individuals ; but it is worthy of notice that several of these "Whist- 

 ling Teal which, a few years ago, were turned out with clipped 

 wings on the artificial lake in the Botanical Gardens at Singa- 

 pore, though, having perfectly recovered their wings, they daily 

 fly about the islands in search of food, still do not migrate, but 

 remain and breed, and during September I saw several young ones 

 swimming about with their parents, There is but little, if any, 

 difference in the plumage of the sexes, and very slight seasonal 

 change, though towards July specimens I shot were certainly 

 more ruddy than earlier in the year. 



During the heat of the day the Whistling Teal keep principally 

 on the jheels, among thick reeds, and seem particularly fond of 

 the small open pieces of water shut in by high rushes which are 

 found in all large reed-beds. This makes them fairly easy to get 

 at ; and on several occasions, by wading quietly through the water, 

 waist deep, the reeds concealing n^ head and shoulders, I came on 

 them unawares and killed several at a shot — a great addition to 

 one's larder in a country where fresh meat was not to be got 

 every day. 



When on open water I found them by no means easy to stalk ; 

 and even in places where I much doubt if a gun had ever been 

 fired and they were but little disturbed, after one or two after- 

 noon's shooting they became exceedingly wild and difficult to get 

 near. The Malay bird can be easily distingnished from the other 



