304 DUCK GROUP 



of the sheldrake presents a very marked approximation to that 

 of the male shoveller in breedins^-dress, which may probably be taken 

 as an indication of a more or less close affinity between the two 

 species, despite the difference in the form of their beaks. 



The head and upper part of the neck of the male sheldrake, for 

 instance, are glossy green like the same parts in the shoveller ; this 

 being followed in both birds by a white gorget round the lower half of 

 the neck, succeeded by chestnut on the upper portion of the breast, 

 and this again by ivhite on the abdomen. The main differences 

 between the two birds in this respect are indeed that in the sheldrake 

 the white gorget is much wider on the back of the neck, and that the 

 chestnut area does not extend on to the lower part of the breast, w hich 

 is white, like the abdomen. As if to make up for this, the chestnut 

 forms a complete band round the fore part of the breast and back in 

 the sheldrake, and also runs down the middle line of the abdomen. 

 As regards the rest of the colouring of the present species, the scapulars 

 and primary quills are black, the wing-" speculum " is deep glossy green, 

 while the lesser wing-coverts and the greater part of the back are white, 

 and the tips of the tail-feathers black. 



A peculiar feature of the male sheldrake is the presence of a 

 fleshy knob at the base of the beak, which gives origin to the name of 

 cornuta, and is one of the characteristics of the genus. And here it 

 may be well to mention that the other distinctive features of the genus 

 Tadorna are to be found in the relative sharpness of the beak, which 

 is high at the base, and concave in profile, with the tip flattened and 

 bent upwards, and the " nail " small and suddenly curved downwards 

 and inwards. The nostrils arc less than one-third the length of the 

 beak, measured from the base ; the wings are long and pointed, but 

 the tail, which has fourteen feathers, is rounded ; while the lower part 

 only of the front of the shank of the legs carries large shield-like scales. 



To complete the brief sketch of the colouring of the male bird, it 

 has to be added that the whole of the beak is bright cerise, and that 

 the legs and feet are flesh-pink. In addition to the lack of the knob 

 at the base of the beak the duck differs from her partner by her some- 

 what inferior bodily size and the duller tone of her colours. In young 

 birds, which also lack the beak-knob, the dulness of hue becomes still 

 more noticeable, the head and neck being dusky with white mottlings, 

 the scapulars also mottled with white and tinged with brown, the chestnut 

 of the breast only partially developed and mingled with blackish, the 

 beak flesh-coloured, and the legs and feet leaden. K.xcept for its brown 

 back and crown of the head, the downy duckling is white. 



