AYES. 
129 
& Marsh. Game Birds of India, iii. p. 123 (1880) ; Bidd. Ibis, 1881, p. 99; C. Swmh. Ibis, 1882, 
p. 121 ; Scully, J. A. S. Beng. lvi. p. 89 (1887) ; Sharpe, Trans. Linn. Soc. (2) Zool. v. p. 91 (1889). 
Anas rutila, Severtz. Turlcest. Jevotn. p. 70 (1873). 
Tadorna rutila, Dresser, Ibis, 1876, p. 419. 
Tudorna casarca (L.) ; Severtz. Ibis, 1883, p. 76 ; Oates in Hume’s Nests and Eggs, iii. p. 286 (1890). 
Dr. Henderson writes “ Tlie Brahminy Duck or Ruddy Sheldrake was first noticed at 
Dte hot springs above Gokra, at an elevation of 16,000 feet ; there they were seen on the 
sm all lakes at the salt plain, and all along the Karakash River. The young were at that 
tittle (July) scarcely able to fly; when approached, the mother made them all dive by 
s wimniing and flapping on to each of them as soon as it showed itself above the water. The 
ttiother also pretended to he wounded, and lay on the water every now and then, with wings 
s Pread out as if unable to fly. All along the Karakash Valley, and also on the high table- 
Wd wherever there was water overhung by cliffs, there numbers of Brahminy Ducks with 
broods of young ones were seen, and holes in these cliffs plastered over with dioppings weie 
P°inted out by the Kirghiz as the places in which they had bred. The local name is 
ttgooroo ngaugpa.’ ” 
Hr. Scully gives the following note “ The Ruddy Sheldrake was observed in the plains 
Kashgharia in the beginning of winter, and from March to August it was exceedingly 
Plentiful in the lakes and swamps of Sughucliak, near Yarkand. Many young birds were 
^ttable to flv, usually swimming about with the old female bird. In July I saw a party of 
tibout ten of these Ducks among some rushes ; they had a sentinel bird placed at some little 
distance from the main flock, and on seeing me approach he gave a sort of warning cry which 
Sfi(, med to put his party on the alert ; when I got a few steps nearer the watcher gave a loud 
Scre am and flew up, followed by the rest of the party. This bird seems to walk very easily on 
r J T land, and always in a curiously erect manner. The Yarkandis say that this species migrates 
0 India in winter, and that the eggs are laid in some dry place away from water ; as soon 
as the young bird emerges from the egg, the mother seizes it and puts it into the watei. 
tie Turki name for the Brahminy Duck is 4 j Hangghut,’ pronounced ‘ Hangat. 
Colonel Biddulph noticed one of these Sheldrakes going into a hole in precipitous cliffs 
a 0ll t a hundred feet above the Sarikol plain on the 11th of May, and believes that the species 
as breeding there. 
Genus BRANT A. 
BliANTA RUFINA. 
Br ™ta rufina (Pall.) ; Scully, Str. P. iv. p. 201 (1876) ; Bidd. Ibis, 1881, p. 100 ; Hume & Marsh. 
Game-Birds of India, iii. p. 253, pi. 34; Sharpe, Trans. Linn. Soc. (2) Zool. v. p. 90 (1889). 
Fuliffulu rufina, Severtz. Turkest. Jevotn. p. 70 (1873) ; Dresser, Ibis, 1876, p, 421 ; Blanf. East, lersia, 
h- p. 301 (1876) ; C. Swinh. Ibis, 1882, p. 125. 
^let with by Dr. Scully, who says that it was not observed in winter, hut was very 
0 trim on near Yarkand during the summer. It is only a seasonal visitant to Kashgharia, 
W lere it breeds. The Turki name is “ Kizil lash aurdak” i. e. the “ Red-headed Duck.” 
s 
