422 RUDDY SHELD-DUCK. 



as a rule the Ruddy Sheld-Duck is almost unknown to the north of 

 the Alps and the Carpathians. Individuals have been obtained near 

 Toulouse in France, and a few breed in the extreme south of Spain, 

 but otherwise the Ruddy Sheld-Duck is rare in the Mediterranean 

 to the west of the Adriatic. Eastward it becomes more abundant, 

 nesting in Macedonia, the Danubian and Black Sea districts, 

 Southern Russia, Tibet and other elevated districts of Asia up to 

 16,000 ft., and as far as Japan and China. In India, where it is known 

 as the " Brahminy Duck," it is very common during the cold season ; 

 while it is resident in suitable localities throughout Northern Africa 

 from Egypt to Morocco. In South Africa it is represented by the 

 grey-headed T. ca?ia, and by other forms in Australia and New 

 Zealand. 



The nest, well lined with down, is placed in almost any sort of 

 hole : sometimes in the middle of a corn-field, or in a marmot's 

 burrow on the plains, sometimes in clefts of precipitous rocks, 

 the deserted abodes of birds of prey, hollow trees, the fireplaces 

 of abandoned Mongol villages, &c. The eggs, 9-16 in number, 

 are similar to those of the preceding species, but a trifle 

 smaller: measurements 2 "6 by i"8in. When uttered on the wing 

 the call may be syllabled as d-ouiig, but the usual note is kark or 

 kape, several times repeated. The Ruddy Sheld-Duck differs from 

 its congener in being partial to fresh-water. Though usually found in 

 pairs during the summer, it is gregarious at other seasons, thousands 

 being mentioned by Jerdon as frequenting the Chilka Lake in April. 

 In its style of walking it resembles a Goose ; and it feeds in a similar 

 manner, grazing in fields of young corn and eating grass freely, 

 as well as molluscs and crustaceans. It often breeds in confinement, 

 and has produced offspring with the Egyptian Goose {Chenalopex 

 cegyptiaca) : that genus is, in fact, nearly allied to the SheldT)ucks, 

 as indicated by the formation of the trachea. 



The adult male in spring has the beak lead-colour ; irides yel- 

 lowish-brown ; head, cheeks and chin buff-colour, darkening to 

 orange-brown on the neck — which is encircled by a black ring, 

 (absent from autumn to spring) ; back, breast and under parts 

 orange-brown ; wing-coverts buffish-white ; primaries dark lead-grey ; 

 secondaries paler, with a brilliant bronze-green wing-spot ; rump and 

 tail lead-colour; legs, toes and webs blackish. Length 25 in. ; wing 

 i4"5 in. The female is rather smaller and has a whitish forehead ; 

 she never has a black collar ; and this ornament is also absent 

 from the young male. The young are like the female, but duller in 

 colour. 



