RUDDY SHIELDRAKE. 237 



in Germany, Hungary, and Austria ; has been killed a few 

 times in Italy, according to Savi ; and it is said to be found 

 in Africa as far south as the Cape. It has been found in 

 Persia, Asia Minor, at Trebizond, and in the countries 

 about the Caucasian range. Mr. Strickland says it is fre- 

 quently to be seen in the poultry shops at Smyrna, but, 

 owing to the Turkish practice of cutting the throats of 

 birds as soon as shot, he was unable to obtain a perfect 

 specimen. Messrs. Dickson and Ross say this species is 

 abundant at Erzeroum, frequents marshes during the day, 

 but feeds late in the evening and early in the morning in 

 corn and stubble fields. Arrives there about the middle 

 of March, and departs at the end of November ; rarely 

 seen in the water. Said to breed in the marshes. Great 

 numbers on the Lake of Van in August ; native name, 

 Ahngoot. Colonel Sykes includes this species in his Ca- 

 talogue of the Birds of the Dukhun ; it has since been 

 obtained in North-Western India, in Nepal, and in the 

 vicinity of Calcutta. 



The food of this duck consists of aquatic plants and 

 their seeds, insects, and the fry of fish. Latham says it 

 makes its nest in the craggy banks of the Wolga and 

 other rivers, or in the hollows of the deserted hills of 

 marmots ; forming it after the manner of the Shieldrake, 

 and it is said to make burrows for itself in the manner 

 of that bird ; builds sometimes in the shaft of an old well 

 that is not used, and has been known also to lay in a 

 hollow tree, lining the nest with its own feathers. They 

 pair, and the male and female sit by turns. They lay 

 eight or nine white eggs. When the young come forth 

 the mother will often carry them from the place of hatch- 

 ing to the water with the bill. Have been attempted 

 to be domesticated, by rearing the young under tame 

 Ducks, but without success, as they remain wild, effecting 



