RUDDY SHELDRAKE—WIDGEON. 
221 
It is much to be hoped that Hampshire landowners and 
sportsmen will follow the example of His Majesty in pro- 
tecting and encouraging the species in every way. 
168. Tadorna casarca. Baddy Sheldrake. 
A rare accidental visitor. 
Until the year 1892, this bird was looked upon as 
merely an escape from private waters, but in that year 
there appeared in various parts of the British Islands 
examples which naturalists believe to have been genuine 
immigrants from the south-east, apparently driven from 
their natural habitat by a severe drought. 
The late Mr. W. C. Esdaile, of Burley Manor, in the 
New Forest, wrote to the "Times" on April 12th, that 
a female specimen visited his lake on March 28th, and 
remained there a fortnight with the other wild-fowl. 
In the following August a specimen was shot by Mr. 
Vores, of Lymington, in the neighbourhood of that town, 
and is still in his possession, while Mr. Hart procured 
another in Christchurch Harbour the same month. 
The true home of this bird is in Eastern Europe, the 
temperate parts of Asia, and North Africa. It visits India 
commonly in winter. 
169. Mareca penelope. Widgeon. 
A regular and common winter visitor, particularly to 
the coast, where it sometimes occurs in vast numbers. 
