WHITE- WTNG ED SHIELDRAKE. 169 



water, along with Kites and Ravens, and he states that he procured 

 four white eggs ; other observers say that it lays from eight to ten. 

 It has bred in the Zoological gardens, and reared four young ones. 

 The Hindoos have a legend tbat two lovers for some indiscretion 

 were transformed into Braminy Ducks, that they are condemned to 

 pass the night apart from each other on opposite banks of the river 

 and that all night long each, in its turn, asks its mate if it shall come 

 across, but the question is always met by a negative — "Chakwa, 

 shall I come ? No, Chakwi." " Chakwi, shall I come ? No, 

 Chakwa." Pallas states that it does not extend beyond 50° N. L., 

 and that it usually nestles in Marmot's holes, also in rocks, and 

 occasionally even in hollow trees. It is held sacred by the Mon- 

 gols and Calmucs. 



12. Casarca leucoptera, Blyth, 



Jardine, Contrib. Orn. pi. . » 



The White-winged Shieldrake. 



Descr. — Head and neck mottled black and white, perhaps pure 

 white in the adult ; hind neck glossy black ; rest of the upper 

 plumage, including the tail, blackish brown ; shoulders and wing- 

 coverts, pure white ; greater coverts black ; primaries dusky ; se- 

 condaries slaty ; tertials lengthened and wide, dusky, the outer- 

 most with a white border, showing as a white line on the wing ; 

 neck and breast glossy black ; rest of the lower plumage dusky 

 castaneous, dark brown on the flanks and under tail-coverts. 



Bill and legs black. Length 28 inches ; wing 15 ; tail 6 ; bill 

 at front 3 ; tarsus 2 J ; mid-toe 3J. 



This fine Duck has hitherto been only procured in Burmah, but 

 I have received information of a so-called ' Black Goose' occurring 

 in Dacca and other parts of Eastern Bengal, which, from the des- 

 cription, can be no other bird, and I have hence introduced it 

 among the Birds of India, and hope this season to procure speci- 

 mens. 



Other species of this genus are C. cana, Gmelin ; C. tador- 

 noides, Jardine ; and C. variegata, Gmelin, (C. castanea, Eyton). 

 The two former from Africa ; the last from South America. 



y 



