﻿RUDDY SHIELDRAKE. 71 



plants, insects and their larvae, worms, and small fry of fish ; 

 the latter it devours in such profusion that its flesh is not fit 

 for the table of a civilized European stomach. 



The migrations of this species are performed in families of 

 eight or ten in the month of September, and in pairs in April ; 

 these bird fly like others of their family, one behind the other. 

 They are very sociable among their own species, but rarely 

 seen in the company of other ducks. The pair are very much 

 attached to each other, to such a degree, that if one of them 

 has been shot, the other will not leave the spot until it is 

 driven away by two or three shots being fired at it. 



The general appearance of the Ruddy Shieldrake is more 

 like the Goose than the Duck tribe when it is on the ground. 



It walks in pursuit of its food generally with its head inclined 

 towards the ground, at the same time apparently looking watch- 

 fully about for fear of hidden or approaching clanger ; its 

 movements are easy withal, and it can run at a tolerable rate. 

 Its extremely shy nature induces the bird to keep as far as 

 practicable from the shore, if the locality is a large pond, 

 lake, or river : it is also very wild, restless, and roving, there- 

 fore very difficult to tame, although some are kept in mena- 

 geries in the south of Europe, for their handsome and bright 

 plumage. 



The call-note, when the bird is on the wing, is said to re- 

 semble the note of a clarionet ; when on the ground that of 

 the peacock; and when they have a young brood it is like the 

 call of the common hen. 



The reproduction of this species has never been known 

 to occur in the western parts of Europe, either in a wild 

 state or in confinement, but it breeds on the banks of the 

 Wolga, the rivers of the Ural mountains, and in the in- 

 terior of Asia. 



Very early in the spring the birds are paired, and when 



