38 C. S. Webb—Collecting Waterfowl in Madagascar


but if they do take to flight it appears as if a great effort is needed to

rise from the water.


There is one Duck—the Madagascar Pochard (Nyroca innotata)

which is peculiar to Lake Alaotra. This is rather strange as there are

several other lakes on the island.


Besides the Ducks already mentioned the Red-billed Duck (Anas

erythrorhyncha), Meller’s Duck (Anas melleri), and the Comb Duck

(Sarkidiornis melanotus) are fairly common here. Mellers Duck which

is somewhat like a very large female Mallard is indigenous but the

other two are found in Africa also. The Malagasy, as the Madagascar

natives are called, are very clever at trapping all kinds of waterfowl,

and this is done with snares and with cage-traps made out of reeds.

I was particularly keen on getting a good collection of Pygmy Geese,

Hottentot Teal, White-backed Ducks, and a few Pochards. The two

latter were not difficult to cater for in captivity, but the Teal and

Pygmy Geese were more difficult. They were kept in large runs like

fowl pens fenced round with reeds fixed tightly together to prevent the

birds from getting out. Reed huts were also provided for newly-

caught birds to hide in until they became tame.


When waterfowl are freshly caught and kept in close confinement

they are better kept perfectly dry. This applies especially to

Hottentot Teal and Pygmy Geese. The runs and sleeping huts were

littered daily with fresh clean rice-straw and it was found advantageous

to provide feeding receptacles so small that the birds could not get

into them. Until I did this I had a lot of trouble with the Pygmy

Geese. For food the Pochard only required paddy, i.e. unhusked rice,

the White-backed Ducks were given paddy and boiled rice and water-

lily seeds at first, while the Teal were given duck-weed, millet, and paddy

ground into a coarse meal. The Pygmy Geese in this region are so

accustomed to feeding on water-lily seeds that it is essential to provide this

food for some weeks while gradually getting them used to small millet.


Wheat is unobtainable in Madagascar and the millet I used had to

be brought from Europe. To get a regular supply of water-lily seeds

I employed several native women who went out daily in canoes. The

average size of a seed-pod is about the same as a medium sized apple

and contains thousands of minute seeds. While the Geese were in pens



