THE RUDDY SHELD-DUCK. I0 7 



Subsequently three were shot on the river Taw, near Braunton, in North 

 Devon, in June ; also some got near Barnstaple, in September so that we may 

 put the number of examples actually got at over twenty birds. The sexes were 

 ascertained in ten cases four males and six females. No doubt others would be 

 got in out-of-the-way places in the country, and not recorded.* 



In the same year three were shot in Iceland, near Eyrarbakki, in August ; 

 also others obtained in the north of that island about the same date, (see Messrs. 

 H. J. and C. E. Pearson's list of Icelandic Birds, " Ibis," 95, p. 247). We may, 

 however, go further north still, and record one in the district of Upernavik, 

 Greenland, without doubt, in 1892, (" Uebereine Vogelsammlung ans Westgrdnland," 

 Von Herman Schalone, 1895). 



The earliest occurrences were Durness, Sutherlandshire, June 2oth, five one 

 shot. In the course of the fortnight after the 2Oth, three flocks were seen by 

 the observer. The second occurrence in date is June 24th or 25th the flock of 

 twenty near Adara, Co. Donegal. The last occurrences are September 8th and 

 i3th, the first in Donegal, the second in Norfolk. From this it would appear 

 that the Ruddy Sheld-Ducks did not all come at the same time, but gradually, 

 the immigration covering nearly three months, and the two earliest occurrences 

 are suggestive of an E. to W. line of flight, or not improbably from S.E. to 

 N.W. across Europe, the extreme right wing striking Iceland and Greenland. 

 Since this was written I have seen an example in the Bergen Museum, labelled 

 Skiidesnses, September 23rd, 1892. 



Messrs. Elwes and Buckley ("The Ibis," 1870, p. 339) say: "in its habits 

 it resembles the Common Sheld-Duck, but it is more fond of fresh water and of 

 inland ranges of rock, whither it resorts in the breeding season. The nest is very 

 difficult to find, as it is always in a hole, sometimes in the middle of a corn-field, 

 and the male bird keeps watch near by to call the female off her eggs when any 

 one approaches." 



" We got a nest near Kustendji containing one egg, which is exactly like 

 that of the Common Sheld-Duck ; and the young are marked with black and 

 white in the same manner. The Ruddy Sheld-Duck is very wary, and utters a harsh 

 metallic cry when disturbed, from which it is called ' Angout ' by the Turks." 

 It is said to nest in holes of trees, at a considerable height, also in steep precipitous 

 rocks. In the Himalayas it is found nesting at 16,000 feet, and the late Col. 

 Prjevalsky found the female sitting, grimed and sooty, in the fire-places of deserted 

 Tartar villages. Salvin found it breeding in Algeria in the crevices of the cliffs. 



* The Rev. H. A. Macphersou recorded the occurrence of two Ruddy Sheldrakes on the Solway Firth, 

 July i8th, 1892. 



