TADOftNA. 



289 



coverts white, sometimes with a buffish tinge ; tertials like tLe back, 

 some of the feathers finely vermiculated with brown at the tijjs; under 

 wing-coverts and axillaries white, also the edge of the wing. 



The Female wants the black collar at all seasons, and is generally 

 duller in colour, the head being very pale buffy white ; the crown and 

 neck in some mouse grey ; bill black ; irides dark brown ; legs black. 



Length. — Males, 24'5 to 27 inches, wing 14-5 to 15'5, tail 5-5, to G, 

 tarsus 2 to 2'4, bill at gape 2. 



Hab. — Sind, Persia, Beloochistan, Afghanistan, B. Turkistan, Punjab, 

 N. W. Provinces, Oudh, Nepaul, Bengal, Rajputana, Central India, 

 Kutch, Guzerat, the Concans, Deccan and Southern India. 



The Ruddy Shelldrake is a winter visitant to India. In Sind it is 

 found on all the large lakes and brooks and along the Indus river in 

 great numbers ; and on the Munchur especially ; like geese large jiarties 

 resort to the fields of sprouting wheat in the early morning and at 

 night-fall, and do much damage. 



They are extremely shy and wary birds, and as Mr. Reid, in Game 

 Birds, remarks — "It will not only keep a sharp look out on its own 

 account, but will fly along the Jheel side before the gunner, uttering its 

 warning note, and put every bird on the qui viae." 



Tadornas Loach. — Bill shoi't, high at the base, and with a knob ; 

 wing tuberculated 



nail at tip of bill rather hooked. 



Tadorna cornuta, Oin The Shelldrake. 



37 t 



