The Sheld-Ducks. 93 



most practised observer, believed that he 

 saw a straggler of this species on one of 

 the islands of the Mergui Archipelago. 

 I did not myself observe this Duck in 

 the Shan States, but Major G. Rippon 

 informs me that it does occur there, 

 although it is not common. It has been 

 observed in Ceylon, but it appears to be 

 rare in that island. 



The Ruddy Sheld-Duck is a bird of a 

 very limited range of migration. In the 

 Himalayas, it is probable that many of 

 these Ducks do not migrate at all in the 

 ordinary sense, but merely move from one 

 altitude to another according to season. 

 It is also most probable that the numerous 

 Ducks of this species that visit the plains 

 of India retire to breed no further north 

 than the Himalayas, and the adjacent 

 parts of Tibet. Indeed, it is a matter 

 for surprise that some of these Ducks do 

 not breed in the plains of India, for they 

 breed in Algeria and Palestine, apparently 

 at no great elevation. 



The Ruddy Sheld-Duck is a permanent 

 resident in Southern and Eastern Europe 

 and in Northern Africa. It extends 

 throughout Asia, ranging in summer up 

 to about the 55th degree of north latitude, 

 and wintering in India and Southern China. 



