RUDDY SHIELDRAKE. 



235 



NATATORES. 



ANATID^E. 



THE RUDDY SHIELDRAKE. 



Tadorna rutila. 



Anas rutila, Ruddy Goose, 



Tadorna 



Anas 



Shieldrake, 



Canard Kasarka, 



BEWICK, Brit. Birds, vol. ii. p. 330. 

 JENYNS, Brit. Vert. p. 229. 

 SELBY, Brit. Ornith. vol. ii. p. 293. 

 GOULD, Birds of Europe. 

 TEMM. Man. d'Ornith. t. ii. p. 832. 

 pt. iv. p. 531. 



TADORNA. Generic Characters. Beak about the length of the head, 

 higher than broad at the base, depressed or concave in the middle ; breadth 

 nearly equal throughout ; under mandible much narrower than the upper, 

 the latter grooved near the tip ; nail curved downwards, forming a hook ; 

 both mandibles furnished with strong transverse lamellae. Nasal groove 

 near the base of the beak ; nostrils oval, lateral, pervious. Legs of mode- 

 rate length ; the tibia naked for a short space above the tarsal joint ; 

 toes three in front, entirely webbed j one behind free, without any pendent 

 membrane or lobe. Wings of moderate length, tuberculated, pointed, 

 the second quill-feather the longest. The sexes alike in plumage, or very 

 nearly. 



WITHOUT intending to follow some systematic Ornitho- 



