788 BIRDS OF INDIA. 



collecting together in small flocks. I doubt if this is always the 

 case, as I have on more than one occasion seen a pair fly off a tree 

 in which they had a nest. This bird is not in general held in 



high estimation for the table ; still at times it is excellent, and one 



o o 



writer says ' delicious.' The peculiar shuffling gait of these ducks 

 when on land has been noticed by Mr. Blyth, who states ' that after 

 walking a few steps they always squat.' In the wild state they 

 probably never alight on the land. 



A very closely allied species is N. albipennis, Gould, from Aus- 

 tralia, formerly considered identical ; and there is another still 

 more beautiful species from the same country, N. pulcliellus, 

 Gould. Xhe Australian species are described by Gould as nest- 

 ling on the ground. Another species is found in Madagascar, 

 N. auritus, considered by Gray as the type of Nettapus (as res- 

 tricted), the Indian species being classed under Anserella, Swainson. 



Sub-fam. Tadoknin^e. . 



Bill more or less raised at the base, and flattened towards the 

 tip. Plumage more or less rufous. 



This group comprises the Shieldrakes and Whistling-teal of 

 hot countries, which, though not separated by Gray from the 

 true Ducks, form a very distinct division. They have the bill 

 rather large, and stand high on their legs, which are not set far 

 back. They may be said to be intermediate between Geese and 

 Ducks. Some have a speculum or wing-spot like the Ducks, and 

 an inflated vesicle on the trachea ; but the voice is rather that of 

 a Goose than a Duck ; the plumage is only moulted once a year ; 

 there is no seasonal change, and there is but little difference 

 between the plumage of the sexes. They are chiefly vegetable 

 feeders, some indeed grazing like Geese, and they have very long 

 and slender intestines. They are for the most part inhabitants of 

 warm climates and of the Southern Hemisphere. 



Gen. Dendrocygna, Swainson. 

 Char. — Bill rather large, lengthened, of uniform width, slightly 

 elevated at the base ; wings short, broad, rounded, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th 

 primaries sub-equal and longest ; secondaries long ; tarsus long 

 and stout; feet large, hind toe rather long. 



