134 A HAND -LIST OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



TADORNA TADORNA 



285. Tadorna tadorna (L.)— THE SHELD-DUCK. 



Anas Tadorna Linn»us, Syst. Nat., ed. x, i, p. 122 (1758 — Coasts of 



Europe. Restricted typical locality : Sweden). 



Tadorna cornuta (S. G. Gmelin), Yarrell, iv, p. 352 ; Saunders, p. 419. 



Distribution. — British Isles. — Resident. Generally distributed 

 suitable localities coast, and especially estuaries, and in some places 

 breeds considerable distance inland. Scarcer in south Great Britain 

 than north and in Shetlands very rare, and very doubtful if ever 

 nested. In winter, numbers increased by immigrants. 



Distribution. — Abroad. — Breeds in northern Europe, from about 

 latitude 70° in Norway and 51° in Urals to France and even Spain, 

 and on salt-lakes of south Siberia and central Asia, also in eastern 

 Asia, Avest to Caspian and Black Seas. On migration south to Medi- 

 terranean and north Africa, as far as the trojDic of Cancer, to north 

 India, Japan, China, and Formosa. Casually in Iceland and Faeroes. 



CASARCA FERRUGINEA* 



286. Casarca ferruginea (Pall.)— THE RUDDY SHELD- 

 DUCK. 



Anas ferruginea Pallas, Vroeg's Cat., Adumbratiimcula, p. 5 (1764 — 



Tartary). 



Tadorna casarca (Linnaeus), Yarrell, iv, p. 347 ; Saunders, p. 421. 



Distribution. — British Isles. — Rare vagrant. Many occurred June 

 to Sept., 1892 various parts Ireland, in Cumberland, Sutherland, 

 Elgin, Lines., Norfolk, and Suffolk. Flocks ten to fifteen and even 

 twenty in some places (c/. F. M. Ogilvie, Zool., 1892, pp. 392-8). 

 Others recorded from time to time Dorset, Hants., Kent, Norfolk, 

 Essex, and elsewhere, including Sule Skerry (Orkneys), June 18,1909. 

 Some recorded examples no doubt escaped from semi-captivity. 



Distribution. — Abroad. — East and south Europe south to north 

 Africa, east through middle Asia to China and Japan ; winters 

 in India and south China to Formosa, also in north Africa. 



ANAS PLATYRHYNCHAt 



287. Anas platyrhyncha platyrhyncha L. — THE MALLARD. 



Anas platyrhynchos Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. x, i, p. 125 (1758 — 



Europe. Restricted typical locality : Sweden). 



Anas hoscas Linnseus, Yarrell, iv, p. 358 ; Saunders, p. 423. 



* The name ferruginea antedates Linnaeus's Anas casarca. — E.H. 



t Linnaeus described the female as Anas platyrhynchos on p. 125, the male 

 as Anas boschas (not boscas) on p. 127 of Syst. Nat., ed. x. The former name 

 ha^ therefore been correctly accepted (Lonnberg, A.O.U. Checklist, and 

 others).— E.H. 



