488 THE BEAN GOOSE. 



199. THE SHELDRAKE. 



Aims Tadoma, LIN. La Tadorne, BUF. Der Brandente, BECH. 

 Description. The Sheldrake is two feet in length. The 

 beak, the base of which is covered with a fleshy lump, is 

 smooth, flattened, and scarlet. The nail at the end of it, and 

 the nostrils, are black. The feet are flesh-coloured ; the head 

 arid upper part of the neck dark green; the rest of the neck 

 and the belly white. A broad, brownish orange transverse 

 band runs across the breast ; the back and the wing coverts 

 are white ; the scapulars spotted with black. The first pen 

 feathers are black, the next violet, the middle rust- coloured, 

 and the last white. The hinder parts are green, shot with 

 violet ; the pen feathers white, tipped with black. 



Observations. The Sheldrake inhabits the northern coasts of 

 the Old Continent, and either burrows in the sea shore, or builds 

 its nest in some cranny of the rock. It has been tamed, and kept 

 in the poultry yard, on account of its beauty alone, for its flesh 

 has a rancid flavour. It feeds with the other Ducks. 



200. THE BEAN GOOSE. 

 Anas Segetum, LIN. L'Oie Sauvaye, BUF. Die Saat Gans, BECH. 



Description. This bird is smaller than our common Goose, 

 but has a larger neck, and longer wings. The upper part of 

 the body is brownish grey ; the under part greyish white ; the 

 belly mottled with dingy orange ; the shanks vermilion. The 

 beak is black, except about the centre, where it is orange, and 

 somewhat curved. This is not, as some suppose, the original 

 stock of our common Goose. The species in question inhabits 

 the shores of the German Ocean, and exactly resembles in ap- 

 pearance our domestic Grey Goose. 



Observations. These birds inhabit the shores of the Baltic 

 and JSTorth Seas, but in autumn rep-air in large flocks to more 

 southern regions, where they remain throughout the winter, 

 feeding on the fields of rye. In some parts of Thuringia, they 

 may be seen in thousands. They are very shy, and place senti- 

 nels round their encampment, on which account it is difficult either 

 to catch or shoot them. They are, however, occasionally taken 

 by means of nooses, placed in spots where they have been seen to 

 spend the night ; and wounded birds will live sociably with the 

 other poultry in the farm-yard. I only know of one instance, 



