CASARCA. 



263 



Genus OASAROA. 

 Casarca, a proper name = Goose, in South Russian ; Tartar karaJcchds = h\ack Goose. 



Similar to Tadorna, but bill of uniform width, depressed towards tip. Nail 

 large, and less hooked. Brilliant wing-spot. 



301. Casarca rutila. The Bkahmint Duck or Ruddy Sheldrake. 



Sarkhab, Chakwa, Chakwi, India; Mungh, Sind; Sarza, Sattara ; Neerbathoo, 

 S, India; Bassana Chilluwa (Telugu) ; Hintha, Pegu; Surkhed, Oahul ; Hangat, 

 Yarkand. 



S 24" to 27" ; 3 to 4i lbs. 2 21f " to 24" ; 2 to 3^ lbs. Legs black. Bill 

 black. Head and neck bufiF, with black collar. Upper tail-coverts, tail, and quills 

 green-black. Breast and under tail-coverts orange-brown. — Female smaller and 

 no collar. S. Europe, N. Africa, W. and C. Asia, visiting Afghanistan, India, 

 Ceylon (rarely), Assam, Burma, China, and Japan. Nine to sixteen eggs (2-6 x 2), 

 pale buff, unglossed. Young when hatched carried to the water. No proof of 

 any change of plumage in summer. Held sacred by the Mongols and Calmucs. 

 (J. 954. B. 1588.) 



C. rutila, 6.12.73. 



Also C. cana. 22". Head and neck ashy. Rufous collar. Breast fulvous. Abdomen 

 chestnut. Under tail-ooverts bright fulvous. S. Africa. 



C. variegata. 24". Head and neok glossy black. Back, scapulars, breast, and sides black 

 with grey wave lines. — Female: Head and upper neck white. New Zealand. 



C. tadomoides. 24". Head and upper neok dark glossy green. White neck-ring. Breast 

 red. Tail, upper and lower tail-coverts black. S. and W. Australia and Tasmania. 



Also the genus Chenalopex. With no prominent lamelliB on edges of bill. Two species : — 



C. cegyptiacus. 28". The Egyptian Goose. Legs pink. Bill pink, base and tip black. 

 Head and upper neok grey-brown. Base of bill, eye-patch, hind neck, and neck-ring ruddy. 

 Mantle grey, finely lineated. Back, rump, upper tail-coverts, and tail black. Wlng-ooverts 

 white. Africa and Palestine. 



C. jiibaius. 20". Legs yellow. Bill black. Head, neck, and breast dull grey. Mantle 

 and scapulars ruddy. Greater wing coverts green, glossed purple. N. of S. America. 



