TADOKNA COllNUTA. 109 



Genus TADOENA. 



This genus consists o£ two species, one of which has a wide range 

 throughout Europe, Asia, and Africa, and the other being confined to 

 Anstraha, the Moluccas, and Papuan Islands. The male bird possesses a 

 fleshy knob at the base of the upper mandible, which is highly develo^^ed 

 durino- the b^'eedino-season. 



(20) TADORNA CORNUTA. 

 THE SHELDRAKE. 



Tadorna cornuta, Hume, Str. Feath. i, p. 260; vii, p. 492; viii, p, 115; 



id. Cai. no. 956; Hume Sj- Mar. Game-B.m, p. 136; Barnes, B. of Bom. 



p. 400 ; Salvadori, Cat. B. J/, xxvii, p. 171 ; Young, Jour. B. X. H. S. 



xii, p. 573 ; BetJuim, ibid, xiii, p. 187 ; Incjlis, ibid, xiv, p. 393 ; 



BJanford, Fauna B. I. iv, p. 427. 

 Tadorna vulpanser, Jerdon, B. I. \\i, p. 794. 



Description. Adult male. — " Head and upper part of the'neck dark glossy 

 green ; round the lower neck a broad white collar ; a band of rich chestnut 

 covers the upper part of the back, the space before the bend of the wing, and 

 the upper part of the breast ; remainder of back, rump, and upper tail-coverts 

 white ; scapulars black, except the inner ones, ■\\bich are white ; a baud along the 

 middle of the breast and belly dark brown ; sides and flanks white ; under tail- 

 coverts rufous ; wing-coverts white ; primaries very dark brown ; speculum on 

 the secondaries green ; long inner secondaries with rich chestnut outer ^-ebs ; 

 tail-feathers white, tipped with black : bill and knob at the base bright red ; 

 irides brown ; legs, toes, and their membranes flesh-pink. 



" Total length 24 to 20 inches, wing 13, tail 5-2, culmeu 2-4, tax-sus 2." 

 {SaJvadori .) 



In adults the bills are deep red ; the nail dusky ; the irides brown ; and 

 the legs and feet flesh-pink to fleshj'-red, often more or less creamy on the front 

 of the toes and tarsi. 



" Length 23*5 to 25-25 inches, expanse 41 to 46, wing 12-5 to 13'6, tail 

 from vent 4-75 to 5-5, tarsus 2*1 to 2-3, bill from cape 2-2 to 2-4. Weight 2 lbs. 

 to 2 lbs. 14 ozs." {Hume.) 



Female. — Differs from the male in being less brightly coloured, having no 

 knob at the base of the bill, and in being smaller. 



"Length 20-8 to 22 inches, expanse 39 to 42, wing 11-75 to 12*4, tail from 

 vent 4-2 to 4-9, tarsus 1-95 to 2-07, bill froiu gape 2-1 lo 2-2. Weight 2 lbs. 

 to 2 lbs. 2 ozs." (Hume.) 



