202 THE GUN : AFIELD AND AFLOAT 



gander, /. e. barred-gander, from its plumage. In Scot- 

 land, it is said, the name " Skeeling Goose " has been 

 applied, but I do not think this term is generally used, 

 although, in South Lincolnshire, I have heard the names 

 Skell-goose and Skell-duck given to this bird. The 

 Sheldrake is a remarkably handsome bird, with a some- 

 what goose-like carriage ; in flight also its measured 

 wing-beats remind one far more of the wild-goose's 

 method of propulsion than of the rapid movements of the 

 wild-duck. With the rest of the surface-feeding ducks 

 the plumage of duck and drake are strikingly dissimilar, 

 but this is not the case with the Sheldrake, as male and 

 female of this species present much the same appearance, 

 the female being rather less bright of colour than her 

 consort, and herein lies another goose-like characteristic. 

 Sheldrakes are about the same weight as Brent geese, 

 that is to say, fine birds weigh 3f lb., extremely heavy 

 ones sometimes reaching 4 lb. From bill-point to tail- 

 tip the Sheldrake measures 24 in. to 26 in. 



THE RUDDY SHELDRAKE, Tadorna casarca, from 

 South-eastern Europe and North Africa, has occasionally 

 been shot in this country. It is however a somewhat 

 difficult matter to determine betwixt birds truly wild and 

 those escaped from confinement, the Ruddy Sheldrake 

 being kept on several inland waters in this country. 

 The general scheme of colour in this bird is rufous, 

 or orange-brown, but it has primary and tail-feathers 

 leaden or blackish ; wing-shoulders buffy-white, and 

 bronze-green speculum. In spring the male has a black 

 ring around the neck, in winter this is not present. The 

 Ruddy Sheldrake is about the same size as the common 

 species. 



THE COMMON WILD-DUCK or MALLARD, 



