292 THE FOOD OF BIRDS IN INDIA. 



Referring to the above ' this is important, however, as it 

 shows that it is both an animal and a vegetarian feeder." S. B. 

 I. D. A., 46. 



1587. Tadorna cornuta. Sheldrake. 



All those I have examined had fed chiefly on land and water 

 shells, and fresh water shrimps of kinds, but also contained some 

 green vegetable matter and a quantity of coarse sand. H. M. 

 G. B. Ill, 136. 



Their food appears to be mainly animal and consists of 

 shell -fish, water-insects, prawns, and shrimps, and practically all 

 or any of the small animal life found on the shores at low tide 

 or in shallow water. A small amount of vegetable matter is doubt- 

 hss eaten now and then, but merely as one takes vegetable with 

 a meat diet. S. B. I. D. A., 111. 



Aquatic plants, molluscs and insects. E. B. C. N. H., 128. 



1588. Casarca rittila. Ruddy Sheldrake or Brahminy Duck. 

 Grazes in the young cornfields just like Geese ; it also picks 



up seeds of grass, grain, etc. A writer in the Indian Sporting 

 Review for 1854 states, that " it is often found devouring carrion 

 on the banks of rivers." Jerd. B. I. Ill, 792. 



No doubt they will graze on young grass and corn when this 

 comes down to the water's edge, and in jhils gobble up various 

 kinds of water weeds and seeds, but tiny fry of fish, ehrimps 

 and all kinds of small land and water shells have proved the chief 

 food of those I have examined. On the Jumna I continually 

 found their stomachs half full of small spiral univalve shells, 

 Tame ones I had were fed upon tiny frogs, and though they are 

 decidedly omnivorous, and do at times eat grain and green shoots 

 of all kinds, I think that in India at any rate the animal element 

 predominates in their diet. 



It has also been charged against them that they feed on 

 carrion. Mr. Rainey writes " I have heard from several sports- 

 men that it is a foul feeder, and I myself on one occasion, in 

 1868, actually saw it eating carrion." H. M. G. B, III, 128, 



