' 



400 TADORNIN.E. 



Casarca rutila, Pall. 



954._Jerdon's Birds of India, Vol. II, p. 791 ; Butler, Guzerat ; 

 Stray Feathers, Vol. IV, p. 27 ; Deccan, Stray Feathers, Vol. 

 IX, p. 437 ; Murray's Vertebrate Zoology of Sind, p. 288 ; 

 Game Birds of India, Vol. Ill, p. 122 ; Tadorna casarca, 

 Pall. ; Swinhoe and Barries, Central India ; Ibis, 1885, p. 137. 



THE BUDDY SHIELDRAKE. 

 c? Chakwa, 9 Chakivi, Hin. 



<J. Length, 24'5 to 27'0 ; expanse, 48'0 to 52'5 ; wing, 14'25 

 V to 15'5; tail, 5'4 to 6'3 ; tarsus, 2*3 to 27; bill from gape, 2 2 

 to 2'4 ; weight, 3 to 4J Ibs. 



o. Length, 2175 to 24'0 ; expanse, 42'5 to 4775 ; wing, 12'36 

 to 140; tail, 5'06 to 6'0 ; tarsus, 212 to 2'4 ; bill from gape, 

 2-0 to 2-3 ; weight, 2 T ' F to 3-^ Ibs. 



Bill black ; irides dark-brown ; legs and feet black. 



Male, forehead and cheeks pale ochreous-yellow or ferruginous ; 

 the region of the eyes, crown and nape, greyish-white ; the 

 rest of the neck ochreous-yellow, tinged with orange, surrounded 

 by a glossy black collar nearly half an inch wide ; the back and 

 scapulars orange-fulvous, some of the feathers edged paler ; upper 

 tail-coverts glossy green black ; lesser and middle wing-coverts 

 white ; greater-coverts green, glossed with purple ; primaries 

 black ; secondaries glossy green ; tertials bright fulvous ; chin 

 pale yellowish ; breast and lower parts orange-fulvous, deepest 

 on the breast. 



The black collar is only seasonal and is never assumed by the 

 female. 



The Shieldrake or Brahminy Duck is a common cold weather 

 visitant to all parts of the region ; it is generally seen in pairs 

 or small parties. It is an extremely wary, difficult bird to 

 approach, and takes a pleasure in putting every bird within hearing 

 on the qui vive, by keeping in front of the sportsman, but just 

 out of range and uttering its warning note just at a critical 

 moment. The best way to get rid of them is to indulge in a 

 little rifle practice at their expense. 



GENUS, Tadorna, Leach. 



Bill short, high, and gibbous at the base, concave in the 

 middle ; the tip flattened and turning upwards, of nearly uniform 

 breadth ; the nail abruptly hooked ; marginal lamellae not 

 projecting ; wing tuberculated ; tarsus moderate ; feet rather 

 short ; tail of 16 feathers. 



Tadorna cornuta, S. G. Gm. 



956. T. vulpanser, Flem. Jerdon's Birds of India, Vol. II, 

 p. 794 ; Murray's Vertebrate Zoology of Sind, p. 290 ; Game 

 Birds of India, Vol. Ill, p. 135. 



