ORNAMENTAL WATERFOWL. 135 
in the British Museum, and immediately following it is that 
given by Messrs. Layard and Sharpe. Considerable variation 
would no doubt be found between specimens examined in the 
flesh, and the very aged dry skin upon which my own observa- 
tions have been based. It would be impossible to fix a market 
value for a pair of these Sheldrakes owing to their unfrequent 
occurrence. 
Male.—Head white, with ashy-brown stripe ; neck ash- 
brown ; back and breast light chestnut ; wing-coverts white ; 
green patch on wing; tail black; bill, eye, and legs dark- 
brown. 
‘* Male.—Easily distinguished by its rufous colour and grey head. 
General colour, rufous, inclining to yellow on the chest and vent, and 
mottled with minute wavy black lines on the neck ; rump and lower part of 
back very dark grey; tail black, shining green ; shoulders pure white ; 
green patch on the wing very large; head and neck ash-coloured, with a 
dark rufous collar.” 
Female.—Similar, slightly smaller. 
Young.—No information. 
Egg.—Creamy-white ; eight to ten in number. 
GENUS AWAS. 
According to Salvadori seventeen species are distinguished 
as belonging to this genus. The species of Anas as yet 
unintroduced alive are as follows:—A. wyvilliaua, A. laysa- 
nensis, A. fulvigula, A. maculosa, A. diazt, A. aberti, A. luzontca, 
A. sonorhyncha. 
The birds of this genus are found distributed about the 
four continents, nesting as a rule on the ground, under bushes 
or among dry grass; feeding on seeds, roots, mollusca, worms, 
and various other animal and vegetable substances. Much of 
