THE SPORTSMAN IN SOUTH AFRICA. 129 



The South African Shell Duck {Casarca cana). 



\&tze about the same as the Knob-billed Duck, and is thus de- 

 scribed by Layard and Sharpe : — " General colour, rufous, inclining 

 to yellow (fulvous) on the chest and vent, and mottled with minute 

 wavy black lines on the back; rump and lower part of back very 

 dark grey ; tail black, shining green ; shoulder pure white ; green 

 patch on the wing very large ; head and neck ash coloured, with a 

 dark rufous collar. "'\ 



This Duck is very scarce, and does not appear to stray much North 

 of the Orange River. It is unknown in Bechuanaland, Matabele- 

 land, or the Lake 'Ngami regions. 



The South African Pochard {Aythia capensis). 



\_About the same size as the Crimson-billed Teal, and is thus 

 described in Layard and Sharpens " Birds of South Africa " : — 

 " General colour above, deep brown, minutely variegated with grey ; 

 below deep brown, tinged with rufous, more especially on the flanks 

 and shoulders ; lower part of the neck and breast approaching to 

 black, tinged with faintish purple ; cheeks and sides of upper part 

 of neck, rich dark chestnut; small spot on the chin and bar on the 

 wing white." 



The Pochard is an occasional visitor to the Cape Colony and 

 Natal, being, however, more common in the Transvaal and grass 

 vleys of Bechuanaland. It is also rather plentiful at Lake 'Ngami. 



The Cape Duck {Pmcilonetta capensis). 



[About the same size as the Crimson-billed Teal. General 



. colour, uniform mottled very light brown and white; the wings and 



spots on back a darker shade; head and upper portion of neck 



minutely mottled; a dark green bar on the wings, enclosed on each 



side and below with white ones.} 



This Duck is found in the maritime portions of the Cape Colony, 

 but is unknown in the Interior. 



