680 ANATID^E. 



1383. Casarca rutila, Pall., Hist, d' Egypt, t. x. p. i ; Gould, B. 



Eur. pi. 358; Jerd., B. Ind. Hi. p. 791 ; Str. F. i.26o; iv. 198; Murray, 

 Hdbk., Zool., fyc., Sind\ Hume, Game Birds. Ind. p. 123. Tadorna casarca, 

 Dresser, B. Eur. vi. p. 461, pi. ; Legge, B. Ceylon, p. 1070; Oates, B. Br. 

 Burm. ii. p. 277. (Vern. Mungh, Sind). The RUDDY SHELLDRAKE or 

 BRAHMINY DUCK, 



Male. Head, on the crown and sides buff, darkening on the nape and hind 

 neck, and gradually passing into deep orange or orange fulvous on the upper 

 back and breast ; a seasonal glossy black band round the middle of the neck 

 in males (not present in all specimens) ; chin buff ; upper back, scapulars and 

 breast in front deep orange brown, orange fulvous, or rufescent, the colour 

 being variable ; in some specimens the feathers are edged paler ; lower back 

 ochreous, the feathers finely vermiculated with black ; rump black, also the 

 upper tail coverts and tail, which have a greenish gloss ; lower abdomen and 

 under tail coverts deep chestnut ; in females and in males out of season, and 

 without the black neck collar, the entire under surface from the breast is pale 

 chestnut or fulvous chestnut, sometimes with the feathers round the vent 

 darkening into deeper chestnut ; wing spurred at the bend ; primaries dark 

 brown ; greater coverts and outer webs of secondaries glossy purplish green, 

 forming a broad speculum ; lesser and median covers white, sometimes with a 

 bufnsh tinge; tertials like the back, some of the feathers finely vermiculated 

 with brown at the tips; under wing coverts and axillaries white, also the 

 edge of the wing. 



ThQ/emale wants the black collar at all seasons, and is generally duller in 

 colour, the head being very pale buffy white ; the crown and neck in some 

 mouse grey ; bill black ; irides dark brown ; legs black. 



Length. Males, 24*5 to 27 inches; wing 14-5 to 15-5 ; tail 5*5 to 6 ; tarsus 

 2 to 2-4 ; bill at gape 2 . 



Hab. Sind, Persia, Beloochistan, Afghanistan, E. Turkistan, Punjab, N.- 

 W, Provinces, Oudh, Nepaul, Bengal, Rajputana, Central India, Kutch, 

 Guzerat, the Concans, Deccan and Southern India. 



The Ruddy Shelldrake is a winter visitant to India. In Sind it is found on 

 all the large lakes and brooks and along the Indus river in great numbers ; and 

 on the Munchur especially ; like geese, large parties resort to the fields of 

 sprouting wheat in the early morning and at night-fall, and do much damage. 



They are extremely shy and wary birds, and as Mr. Reid, in Game Birds, 

 remarks " It will not only keep a sharp look-out on its own account, but will 

 fly along the Jheel side before the gunner, uttering its warning note and put 

 every bird on the q ui vive" 



1384. Casarca SCUtlllata (P. L. Mull), Schlege. , Mus. P. B. A nseres, 

 p. 64. Sarcidiornis leucopterus, Blyth, J. A. S. B. xviii. p. 820. Casarca 



