294 NATATORES. TADORNA. SHIELDRAKE. 



It is, however, now generally allowed, that the bird described 

 under that name in the British Zoology must have been 

 Fuligula (Anas) Nyroca (the Nyroca or White-eyed Po- 

 chard), the Ferruginous Duck of MONTAGU; the size, weight, 

 colour of the bill and legs, as well as that of the plumage, 

 so far as detailed by PENNANT, agreeing exactly with the 

 female of this species. The specimen from which the pre- 

 sent figure is taken was killed in the south of England, and 

 was kindly forwarded to me by Mr GOULD, for the purposes 

 of this work, and is now in my collection, having been pre- 

 sented to me by the gentleman into whose possession it 

 passed from Mr GOULD. In Europe, the Casarka inhabits 

 Russia and other eastern districts, and is occasionally met 

 with (during its migrations) in Hungary and Austria. It is 

 also scattered over a great part of Asia, being found in 

 Persia and India, from which latter country I have received 

 specimens of it. The species appears to be the same in 

 Africa, the specimens from the Cape of Good Hope, and 

 other parts, in no respect differing, either as to colours or 

 markings, from the European and Asiatic. In figure, this 

 bird greatly resembles the Common Shieldrake, but stands 

 rather higher upon its legs. It does not seem, however, to 

 have any fleshy tubercle at the base of the bill, like that 

 bird, so that Mr STEPHENS and others have erred in includ- 

 ing that specific peculiarity amongst their generic characters. 

 In habits, it is said to be similar to our native species, and a 

 reference to the preceding article will point out the places 



Nest, &c. that it also chooses for nidification, with this difference only, 

 that the Casarka is rarely found on the sea-coast, but breeds 

 upon the borders of the larger rivers of Russia and the other 

 eastern countries it inhabits, laying from eight to ten white 



Food. e gg s - I* feeds upon aquatic plants, insects, and the roe and 

 small fry of fishes. 



PLATE 48 * *. Figure of the natural size. Length about 

 twenty-three inches. 



