104 The Water-fowl Family 



of gadwall and shovellers. We often saw this trio 

 of species, the teal frequenting the edges of the 

 ponds, running along the flats, sometimes jump- 

 ing up from the grass near the shore. They were 

 in pairs, and very tame. Undoubtedly these birds 

 came on to the high lands to breed at this time, 

 for they are not found here after the early fall, in 

 September and October resorting to the coasts. 

 The nest is placed near the edge of the pond or 

 marsh, on the ground, and composed of grass, 

 lined with feathers, often concealed by more or 

 less rush-grass loosely scattered over it. 



RUDDY SHELDRAKE 

 (Casarca casarca) 



Adult male — Head and neck, buff, grading into orange-brown on 

 the lower portion of the neck, which is surrounded by a black 

 ring ; back, breast, and under parts, fox-red ; rump, yellowish 

 red, streaked with black ; wing-coverts, white, with a speculum 

 of greenish purple ; tail and tail-coverts, black ; bill, legs, and 

 feet, blackish ; iris, brown. 



Measurements — Length, 24 inches; wing, 14.50 inches; culmen, 

 1.75 inches; tarsus, 2.25 inches. 



Adult female — Similar to the male ; plumage is generally lighter and 

 the color at the base of neck is lacking. 



Eggs — Eight to ten in number, cream color, measuring 2.55 by 1.85 

 inches. 



Habitat — Southern Europe, northern Africa, and southern Asia, east 

 to China and Japan, straggling occasionally to Scandinavia and 

 Iceland, and recorded twice from Greenland. 



This species has been included among the 

 North American birds on account of the doubtful 



