656 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. XXV III. 
Thornhill can hardly, I think, have made a mistake when he recorded that a 
male in full dress was shot on the river at Hanna on March 19th, 1916. Thorn- 
hill knew this and other Indian ducks exceedingly well and I personally interro- 
gated him about it, and I do not think there can be any doubt that he was correct 
in his identification ; it can only be a rare straggler so far west ; it has occurred 
at least twice in Europe. 
209. Common Teal. Querquedula crecca. 
Querquedula crecca (L.) (Syst. Nat. Ed. x, p. 125, 1758 — Sweden). 
The Common Teal is an abundant winter visitor some arriving verjr early ; 
large flocks were reported near Baghdad on July 17th, on the Euphrates floods 
on July 31st and on Suweikiyeh marshes in mid-August. The majority however 
come in September. It is very widely distributed as it not only frequents 
marshes and lakes, but also the smallest irrigation canals in bare desert country, 
, flooded fields, etc. Bags of 30 or 40 are often made and a bag of 64 is recorded. 
Most leave again in mid-March and the last were seen in the second week of 
April. 
Cheesman records that on May 2nd he found Marbled and Common Teal both 
“ evidently breeding ” in a rush and willow, covered Jheel at Shush ; this is the 
only evidence at all that this species nests within our limits and the fact requires 
further confirmation. 
Four specimens examined : Amara. (two) (P. A. B.), 9. Basra, 8-3-17 
^Stevens) ; Samarra, 5-2-18 (C. R. P.). 
210. Garganey. Querquedula querquedula. 
Querquedula querquedula (L.) (Syst. Nat. Ed. x, p. 126, 1758 — Sweden). 
The Garganey, though scarce, is fairly well distributed in winter, but is much 
commoner as a bird of passage in August and September and again in April. 
Flocks were seen as early as July 17th near Baghdad and as late as May 21st. 
In the marshes near Hindia Barrage, Pitman clearly identified at close quarters; 
a flock on June 12th ; Logan Home records seeing them also in June, while Mag- 
rath says he caught a duckling on the Suweikiyeh marsh which he presumed to 
have been of this species, as he saw adults. It is possible therefore that a few 
remain to nest, though further definite evidence is required. 
21 1. Tufted Duck. Nyroca fuligula. 
Nyroca fuligula (L.). (Syst. Nat. Ed. x, p. 128, 1758 — Sweden). 
212. Common Pochard. Nyroca ferina. 
Nyroca ferina (L.). (Syst. Nat. Ed. x, p. 126, 1758 — Sweden), “Harra.’^ 
213. Red-crested Pochard. Netta rufina. 
Netta rufina (Pall). (Reise. Russ. Reichs. App., p. 713, 1773 — S. E. 
Russia). 
In the absence of any outstanding early records as we have with the surface 
feeding ducks, it may be taken that these diving ducks arrive in Mesopotamia 
later and it is probable that not many are seen before October. These three are 
widely distributed and common on suitable sheets of water and are often seen 
resting in flocks on the rivers themselves. Round Amara, Buxton noted that 
the Tufted was rarer than the Common Pochard, but in other places it appears 
to be common enough. The bulk of these diving ducks leave in March, but 
Buxton found that the Common Pochard in the main stayed longer, and both 
Tufted and this species may be seen up to the second week of April. The 
Red-crested Pochard is fairly common but hardly as numerous as the other 
two ; stragglers linger on till the last week in April. 
One specimen of each preserved. 
