WILD DUCKS. 121 



{Casarca fernigina) is the more common. This handsome bird is charac- 

 terized by its snowy white head, rich orange breast and back, and black 

 and white wings marked with a broad green band. It is about the size 

 of a small goose, but unfortunately its flesh is utterly uneatable. It is 

 very common during the winter in South Shensi and Honan. In 

 migrating it follows the courses of the large rivers, and may be seen iu 

 flocks of a dozen or so resting out on the mud fiats. 



The common sheldrake {Tadoma comuta), diffei-s from the fore- 

 going species in having a dark green head, and only a little orange rn 

 the breast and wing coverts. The rest of the body is white, except for 

 the black primary feathers and the glossy green band of the wings. 

 This species is more of a sea duck than the other, its flesh being quite 

 useless. 



Both species breed in Mongolia, where they have their nests in deep 

 horizontal tunnels. The ruddy sheldrake resorts to rocky cairns, while 

 the common sheldrake prefers the tussocky shores of lakes. 



Another sea duck is the velvet scoter {Cidemia carho), which is 

 entirely black except tor its bright red and orange coloured bill and legs. 



Finally we come to the Mergansers, peculiar narrow-billed birds, 

 which scarcely look like ducks at all. The largest of these is the 

 goosander [Mergus castor), wliich is characterized by a dark green 

 head, long narrow, serrated beak, ending in a sharp hook, delicate rose 

 coloured breast, dark back and pied wings. This bird is about the size 

 of a goose, and is very handsome in appearance, though the flesh is of 

 a poor flavour. Like the other members of this genus the goosander is 

 a good diver, while the formation of the bill suggests a fish diet. 



The red-breasted merganser {Mergufi scrator) resembles the goo- 

 sander in shape, though it is considerably smaller. It has a red beak 

 similar in shape to that of the latter, reddish-orange legs, dark green 

 head, white collar, black, dark brown and grey upper parts, reddish 

 browm breast, white underparts, and white upon the wing. It 

 decidedly more common than the goosander, and I have seen it in the 

 mountain valleys of western Shansi in mid-winter, where open holes 

 in the ice-bound stream provided the means of securing food. 



Lastly there is the smew {Mergus aJbcUus) a small, almost entirely 

 white duck, which inhabits the sea shore, rather than inland watering 

 places. It also has the serrated bill. 



This list does not pa-etend to be exhaustive on the question of 

 ducks, but local sportsmen are hardly likely to come across any other 

 species of duck even if they are lucky enough to secure specimens of 

 all those mentioned. 



16 



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