106 THE COTTON TEAL. 
on the shore, who from dread or stupidity, or perhaps dislike to 
the sufferer, do not move a finger to his rescue. But, indeed, in 
such situations, without ropes, or long bamboos, or floats of 
some description, what can be done? To follow empty-handed 
a person into such a trap, exposed not only to the tenacious 
grasp of the weeds, but to the desperate clutch of the drown- 
ing man, is but to ensure the death of two instead of one!’ 
I HAVE only found the eggs of this species in July and August, and 
towards the end of the latter month the young are to be 
seen about everywhere. I haveseen many nests, all in mango 
trees, in or at the edge of swamps or ponds, in hollows of large 
decayed branches, and with very little or no lining (except 
crumbling fragments of decayed wood) ; but it would appear 
from the remarks of others quoted below, that these are by no 
means the only situations they affect for nesting. I have never 
found more than twelve eggs, and from eight to ten appear to 
~ me to be the usual full complement. 
Mr. F. R. Blewitt, writing from Jhansi, says of this species :— 
“Tt breeds in July and August. 
“Just above the village of Buragaon is a large lake from which 
several eggs of this Goslet were brought. The eggs were 
collected in the two months on different occasions. It makes a 
semi-floating nest on the water, among the rushes or lotus 
leaves, of weeds, grass, &c., all mixed together and piled up 
several inches above the water level.” 
Dr. Jerdon says :—“ It breeds generally in holes in old trees, 
often at some distance from water, occasionally in ruined 
houses, temples, old chimneys, and the like, laying eight or ten 
(sometimes, it is stated, as many as fifteen) small white eggs.” 
Mr. A. Anderson remarks: “This species nests in holes of trees 
and old ruins, and never, according to my experience, in old 
nests or on the ground. 
“T once had an opportunity of watching a pair in the act 
of selecting their habitation. They invariably flew into the 
tree together ; and while the female used to enter the hole, to 
reconnoitre as it were, the male sat on a bough watching for 
her exit. No sooner did she make her appearance than they 
both flew away together, giving utterance to a peculiar cackling 
sound, which has been pronounced to be like the words “ Fix 
bayonets.” Their visits used to be repeated at intervals of 
every fifteen or twenty minutes. The Drake never went into 
the hole ; and I am, therefore, inclined to believe that he does 
not lend his aid in the performance of the duties of incubation. 
“The greatest number of eggs laid by the Goslet, of which I 
have a record, is twelve. This nest was taken by Mr. Spry at 
Budaon in August last. The hole occupied was at no great 
height; but it was three and a half feet deep, and only large 
