The Shieldrake.-] OF ORKNEY. 139 



Species 7. The Shieldrake. 



Shieldrake or Burrough Duck, Wil. Orn. 363. Raii Syn. Av. 140. Auas 

 Tadorna, Lin. Sys. 195. Brit. Zool. 461. Ore. Slygoose. 



THIS is the most beautiful of the genus which is found in 

 these isles. The bill of a male is a fine red, very much crook- 

 ed and turned up, the base has a large soft knob, which swells 

 much in spring, and is then of a brighter red than at other 

 seasons of the year ; the head is a fine deep green, below which 

 is a white collar ; the breast and shoulders are surrounded by 

 a band of bay ; the back is white, with a black stripe on each 

 side ; the covert feathers of the wings white ; the first quill 

 feathers are black, the next green, after which follow three of 

 a deep bay ; the tail white, tipped with black ; the belly 

 white, divided by a black stripe, which begins in the band of 

 bay on the breast, and running between the thighs, ends about 

 the vent ; the legs a pale flesh colour. 



The slygoose comes to us in the spring, and builds in holes 

 of the earth, commonly in rabbit holes, and retires when 

 breeding-time is over. They may easily be tamed ; I have 

 seen a flock of them up at a gentleman's house, where they 

 ran about the doors with other fowls. They seemed to be 

 weakly and delicate in their tame state, could make no shift 

 for themselves^ but must be fed by the hand. The winter 

 seems not to be easily borne by these birds, and they retire no 

 doubt to warmer climates. 



