﻿70 ANAT1DA'. 



NATATOBES. AN ATI Dm- 



PLATE CCXLIII. 



RUDDY SH1ELDRAKE. 



TADORNA RUTILA. 



The Ruddy Shieldrake is an occasional visitant in Great 

 Britain, occurring during very severe winters, but rarely at any 

 other time ; the reason appears, not that it only wanders dur- 

 ing such extraordinary weather, but that it is driven from its 

 usual migratory roads towards our shores, under circumstances 

 of unusual combination. This bird being not a maritime spe- 

 cies, is a sufficient reason for its rare occurrence with us, as 

 we shall hereafter more fully enter upon. 



The geographical distribution of this species extends over 

 many parts of the Old World ; it is found in the eastern 

 part of Europe, such as Russia, Hungary, Austria, Turkey, 

 Greece, and parts of Italy. It is also pretty generally spread 

 over Asia, being met with in Persia and India. In Africa it 

 extends as far as the Cape of Good Hope. 



The chosen localities are rivers, lakes, and large ponds, 

 which it prefers to seas or small pieces of water; in water 

 that is covered with rushes or tall weeds, it never remains by 

 choice, in consequence of its exceedingly shy nature. 



The food of the Ruddy Shieldrake consists in aquatic 



