Dendrocygna fulva, Gmelin.
Vernacular NamBS.—[Murghabi {i.e.. Duck), Lower Bengal; Badak {i.t , Duck),
(Mahrathi), D i c c a i i ; ? Yerrinda, (Malayalum), Travancore; Silli, (Hindustani) :
Sisalee, (Bunnese), Pegu. j
5ERY little is as yet known of the exact distribution
of the larger Whistling Teal within our limits.
In Sind I only know of its occurring as a rare visitant
about the larger lakes and canals during the monsoon.
In the Punjab and Rajputana I have only
heard of its occurrence in Bhawulpur. In the Doab of
the North-West Provinces I have only known it to
be found in the submontane districts. In parts of Rohilkhand,
Oudh, and Gorakhpur and Basti it is not uncommon in the
rains, but whether it is a permanent resident in any of these
districts, I cannot say. In the Central Provinces, I have only
heard of its occurrence in the Jhansi and Saugor Districts
during the monsoon.
In Cutch Col. Palin says it occurs, but is not common.
In Kathiawar and Gujarat, though stragglers may occur there
during the rains, it has not been observed, nor has it been
recorded from Khandesh or the Central India Agency. In the
rest of the Bombay Presidency it occurs occasionally, but
only as a rare straggler. Fairbank obtained it once near Ahmednagar.
Wenden shot several at Nulwar. Vidal found it " uncommon"
in Sattara, and has never seen it at Ratnagiri. Just
outside the Bombay Presidency, at the north-west corner of
the Nizam's Territories, Jerdon found it tolerably abundant at
Jalna. Holdsworth does not record it from Ceylon, nor is there,
that I can discover, a single record if its occurrence anywhere
in Travancore,* Mysore, or any part of the Madras Presidency,
except near Nellore, where Jerdon occasionally procured it.
* Note however that C. B Sherman, Esq., Ex.-Engineer, writing from Travancore.
affirms that it is very common in the north of that state ; that it is generally
only seen from October to April, but that some stay and breed as he has seen them
with young in August. Major Campbell, of the 26th M. N. I., on the other hand
writing from Quilon, says, that it is the common and not the larger Whistling Teal
that occurs in Travancore, and as no one else notes the larger species from
Travancore, it seems probable that Mr. Sherman has confounded the two species.
However I have given his remarks, and hope that the point will be verified.