230 



NATATORES. 



ANATID^E. 



AN ATI DM. 



THE RUDDY SHIELDRAKE. 



Tadorna rutila. 



Anas rutila, Ruddy Goose, BEWICK, Brit. Birds, vol. ii. p. 330. 



Tadorna Shieldrake, JENYNS, Brit. Vert. p. 229. 



SELBY, Brit. Ornith. vol. ii. p. 293. 



GOULD, Birds of Europe, pt. xix. 



Anas Canard KasarTta, TEMM. Man. d'Ornith. t. ii. p. 832. 

 pt. iv. p. 531. 



TADORNA. Generic Characters. Beak about the length of the head, higher 

 than broad at the base, depressed or concave in the middle ; breadth nearly equal 

 throughout ; under mandible much narrower than the upper, the latter grooved 

 near the tip ; nail curved downwards forming a hook ; both mandibles furnished 

 with strong transverse lamellae. Nasal groove near the base of the beak ; nostrils 

 oval, lateral, pervious. Legs of moderate length ; the tibiae naked for a short 

 space above the tarsal joint ; toes three in front, entirely webbed ; one behind 

 free, without any pendent membrane or lobe. Wings of moderate length, tuber- 

 culated, pointed, the second quill-feather the longest. The sexes alike in plumage, 

 or very nearly. 



WITHOUT intending to follow some systematic ornitholo- 

 gists in their numerous modern divisions of the old genus 



