226 THE CLUCKING OR BAIKAL TEAL. 
throughout China, and has been procured in Formosa and Japan, 
but to all these localities it is a winter visitant. Further north in 
North-Eastern Mongolia, Dauria, and South-East Siberia, it 
is seen in multitudes in the spring on passage ; but the majority 
later pass on to breed in Central and Northern Siberia, not, 
however, extending to the extreme north, or much beyond the 
7oth degree North Latitude. 
Prjevalsky says :— 
“During migration, in the end of March and the beginning 
of April, we met with it in large numbers at the Dalai-Nor, but 
did not find it further west, although it can easily be distin- 
guished from the other ducks by its voice. It also occurs about 
Lake Baikal, whither it most likely migrates from China Proper, 
probably crossing the desert in a direct line, or else following 
its edge. 
“ At Lake Hanka, it is one of the most plentiful ducks, and 
arrives there in very large flocks from the 8th to the 15th of 
March. 
“The abundance of this species, on Lake Hanka, continues 
during all the time of its migration, ze. all the latter half of 
March and the first week of April; but after that time, their 
numbers decrease quickly, and in the middle of May there is 
not a single one to be seen.” 
Dr. Radde tells us that in South-East Siberia “it arrives 
very early ; and the first specimen was procured as early as 
26th March 1856, on the Tarei-Nor. Isawthe first specimens 
in the Bureja Mountains on the 26th March 1858, and on the 
4th April met with large flocks on the Uril brook ; and they 
remained in flocks until the 19th April. On the 24th April 
only small flocks were observed. After the 7th May this duck 
was not seen any more. It is generally rare near Lake Baikal, 
and does not remain there during the summer.” 
Dybowski also remarks that thay are “pretty common in 
passage at Kultuk; they arrive in the spring about the middle 
of May, but have not been noticed inautumn, Inthe Darasun 
regions they aremore common, and breed.” Clearly, therefore, 
so far as we can judge, it is never likely to be more than a 
chance straggler to any part of our Empire, except possibly 
Eastern Assam, 
It is not known to occur, normally, anywhere west of the line 
I have indicated ; but just asa couple of specimens have been 
procured in India, a couple have been obtained in France, and 
stragglers will probably, at rare intervals, appear in other parts 
of Europe and Central or Western Asia ; but as yet it has never 
been observed in Central or Western Mongolia, Chinese Tibet, 
Yarkand, Western Turkestan or even on the Caspian. 
OF ITS habits I know nothing, and very little is on record ; 
the chief characteristic which has attracted notice being its harsh 
Lis Ge le rest ania 3 
