RUDDY SHIELDUCK. 21 



Female. — The female, which is smaller, is similar to the 

 male, hut Avith the tints less deep and the collar wanting. 

 A specimen from India, in my collection, has the hill and 

 feet black ; the head gi-eyish-white, tinged with reddish- 

 yellow; the general colour of the plumage light red, fainter 

 anteriorly; the middle of the hack, under the scapulars, 

 minutely undulated with dusky ; the rump and tail greenish- 

 black ; the wing-coverts white, primary quills black ; spe- 

 culum deep green ; lower wing-coverts yellowish-white. 



Length to end of tail 22 inches ; wing from flexure 14 ; 

 tail 5 ; bill along the ridge 1-j^ ; tarsus 2^ ; hind toe 

 its claw -^ ; middle toe 2^, its claw ^. 



6 

 1 25 



Habits. — This species is very extensively dispersed, 

 being found in India, Persia, and the northern parts of 

 Asia ; at the Cape of Good Hope, and in other portions of 

 Africa; in Austria, Hungary, and Russia. M. Temminck 

 informs us that " it nestles in the holes of the rocks which 

 border the great rivers of Russia, in hollow trees, or in the 

 deserted holes of other animals along the banks ; and lays 

 eight or nine white eggs," in wliich respects it resembles our 

 common Shielduck. On the western coasts of Europe it 

 sometimes appears as an accidental straggler, and a few in- 

 dividuals have been obtained in England. One was shot at 

 Bryanstone, near Blandford, in Dorsetshire, in the severe 

 winter of 1776, and is now in the Newcastle Museum. 

 Another, also killed in the south of England, is in the pos- 

 session of Mr. Selby ; and one shot at Ikhn, near Orford, in 

 January, 1834, is the property of Mr. Manning, of Wood- 

 bridge. In the Natural History of Orkney it is stated " a 

 specimen of this rare Duck was shot in Sanday, by Mr. 

 Strang, in October, 1831." 



