8 
Allen’s naturalist’s library. 
and gracefully ; as a rule, rather deep in the water, but at 
times, especially when a lot are at play together, for a minute 
or two quite high, as if barely resting on the water. They are 
very playful, and skirmish about together, chasing each other 
scuttling along the surface one moment, out of sight the next' 
and they are grand divers. ’ 
“I think that they feed chiefly by night, for which purpose all 
birds, spending the day in rivers and bare-shored lakes leave 
these at night for more suitable feeding-grounds. But they 
feed also during the day, when in any of their favourite haunts 
and you may see them for an hour together divin<r for the 
roots and submerged stems and foliage oV all kinds 0“ aquatic 
plants. With us, in Upper India, their food is, accordiii"- to 
my experience, almost entirely vegetable. I have found a few 
insects, grubs, worms, tiny frogs, and a good many shells in 
their stomachs, but seeds, flower-buds, shoots, leaves, stems 
and roots of water-plants, together with fine pebbles and sand’ 
ot which there is always a considerable quantity, have always 
constituted the bulk of the contents ; and it is, perhaps in 
consequence of this that, as a rule, when killed inland in India 
they are excellent eating. Not so always with those killed on 
the coast. A pair I shot in Karachi harbour turned out rank 
and far from good eating ; and a third, shot a few days later 
proved to have fed chiefly on marine plants, small Crustacea 
and mollusca. Occasionally, when in small parties, they are 
to be seen paddling about in shallow, weedy corners of ihfis 
along with Gadwall, Teal, and Shovelers ; but normally they 
keep in large flocks, and affect pretty deep water when feedin<>^ 
m the day-time.” ° 
Neat.— Alade of dead grass and sedge, and lined with 
down. 
Eggs.— From seven to ten, the latter being the usual number 
though as many as thirteen have been found. The colour is 
greenish or greenish stone-colour, and they resemble those ol 
the Scaup and Tufted Duck. Axis, 2-45-2-S5 inches; diam., 
I-6S-I-7S- ’ 
Down. — Of medium size, dark brown, with greyish-brown 
filamental tips, and a somewhat large star of dull white. 
