4IO RUDDY SHRLD-DUCK. 



France, and it breeds in small numbers in the extreme south of 

 Spain, but otherwise it 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, 

 and across the temperate portions and elevated districts of Asia as 

 far as China and Japan. In India, where it is known as the * Brah- 

 miny Duck,' it is very common during the cold season ; and it is 

 resident in suitable localities throughout Northern Africa from Egypt 

 to Morocco. In South Africa the grey-headed T. cana is the repre- 

 sentative species ; while three others are found, respectively, in the 

 Malay Archipelago, 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, 

 amongst — and even in — the deserted abodes of birds of prey ; also 

 in hollow trees, the fireplaces of abandoned Mongol villages &c. 

 The eggs, 9-16 in number, are similar to, but a trifle smaller, than 

 those of the preceding species : average measurements 26 by i*8 in. 

 When uttered on the wing the call may be syllabled as a-oiiug, but 

 the usual note is kai-k or kapc, 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 very gre- 

 garious at other times, thousands. being mentioned by Jerdon as 

 frequenting the Chilka Lake in April. In its style of walking 

 it resembles a (ioose ; and it feeds in a similar manner, grazing 

 in the fields of young corn and eating grass freely. It has often 

 bred in confinement, and has also produced offspring with the 

 Egyptian Goose {C/iena/opex cBgyptiacd). That genus is, in fact, the 

 most nearly allied to Tadorna, as shown by the formation of the 

 trachea. 



The adult male in summer 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 bufiish-white ; primaries dark lead-grey ; secondaries 

 paler, with a brilliant bronze-green speculum ; rump and tail lead- 

 colour ; legs, toes and webs blackish. Length 25-26 in.; wing 

 about 1 4 "5 in. The female is rather smaller and has a whitish fore- 

 head ; 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. 



