RUDDY SHELDRAKE 235 



West Siberia, on the Saissan-Nor, etc., while Poliakov (1916) has recorded it for the basin of the 

 Upper Irtysh. 



Farther eastward it appears to breed throughout the mountains of the Baikal region. It was found 

 about the southwest end of Lake Baikal (Radde, 1863) and not uncommonly in the southern Trans- 

 baikalia (Radde, 1863; Lonnberg (1909). Taczanowski (1874) states that it breeds in Lake 

 Dauria, and the same is said for the source of the Amur (von Homeyer, 1870). Suschkin Baikal 

 (1913) also records it for the Baikal region, while according to Maak (1859), it is com- Trans- 

 mon on the Lena as far north as Olekminsk. Buturlin (1908) gives 58° or 59° north baikalia 

 latitude as its limit on the Lena, but Maak (1859) found it even on the Wiljui near Wiljuisk, July 1. 

 This, I believe, is its northernmost breeding record. 



In the Chinese Empire the species occurs as a breeding bird in most areas. In Tibet it is exceedingly 

 common and nests at very high altitudes, varying from 10,000 to 18,000 feet (Schalow, 1908). It has 

 been repeatedly recorded for this region, having been found in northwestern Kashmir _., 

 by Biddulph (1881), in Tibet by von Pelzeln (Journ. f. Ornith., vol. 16, p. 37, 1868), 

 Schalow (1908), Parrot (1909) (west), Landon (1905), Koslow (1899) (Lob-Nor region), Baker 

 (1908) (Ladakh), Hume (1873) (high Himalayas), Walton (1906) (Tuna to Gyangtse), Desgodins 

 (1873), Waddell (1906) (central), and Bonvalot (1892). Prjevalski (Deditius, 1886) found it in the 

 country about 44° north latitude and 92° east longitude. It probably breeds throughout most of the 

 western and northern sections of China proper, having been found in Kan-su (Prjevalski, 1878), 

 at Tachienlu Lake, west China (E. H. Wilson, 1913), in the Shen-Kan region (Sowerby, „,. 

 1912), at Chagan-Nor and in the Ordos (Berezowski and Bianchi, 1891), and at 

 Peking (David and Oustalet, 1877), while in Mongolia it seems to be a very abundant breeding bird 

 (Prjevalski, 1878; David and Oustalet, 1877). I find no record of its nesting in southern or south- 

 eastern China, but the species breeds in Manchuria (Kuroda, 1918). It appears that its breeding 

 areas are only the colder mountain districts. There seems to be no foundation for the statements, 

 variously made, that it nests in southern Japan. From all authorities it appears to be T 

 a very rare bird there, and even in winter it is only very occasionally met with about 

 Nagasaki (Seebohm, 1890; Ogawa, 1908). 



Winter Ahea 



Being essentially a resident bird the Ruddy Sheldrake winters in practically the same regions in which 

 it breeds, though in Asia there seems to be considerable migration. As regards Europe we may say 

 that it occurs in the marismas about the mouth of the Guadalquivir, though not in „ . 

 large numbers (Saunders, 1871; Irby, 1875; A. Chapman and Buck, 1910). Vayreday 

 Vila (1883) states that it occurs even at Gerona in severe winters. Across the Straits at Tangier and 

 Morocco (Favier^rfe Dresser, 1871-81), in Algeria (Loche, 1867, etc.) and in Tunis (Talamon, 1904; 

 Whitaker, 1905; Matschie, 1894) it is resident and found as far south as the Sahara Northern 

 (Loche, 1867; Tristram, 1860). It winters in the Nile Delta (von Heuglin, 1873; Nicoll, Africa 

 1919) and at Lake Menzaleh, while it occurs much farther south in winter. Nicoll (1909) found it near 

 the Pyramids and both Koenig (1911) and A. L. Butler (1905) say that it is common on the White 

 Nile south of Khartum. Brehm and Vierthaler {fide Dresser, 1871-81) report it for the Blue Nile, but 

 Reichenow (1900) thinks its occurrence there as well as in Shoa must be regarded as questionable. 

 I did not see it on the Blue Nile in the winter of 1912-13. Taken all in all its status in northeastern 

 Africa is very vague. Its occurrence in Shoa has been determined by Salvadori (1888), „, 

 who reported a flock seen there on November 14. Ogilvie-Grant (1900) also has recorded 

 a specimen from southern Abyssinia. Reichenow (1900) states that it goes south as far as Aden, but 

 I cannot say on what authority his statement is made. It seems likely that though uncommon 

 along the middle Nile, Egypt and Nubia (Adams, 1864) a considerable number must Egypt 

 winter in the high country of Abyssinia and Shoa. Nubia 



