66 
ANATIDvE. 
such as is resorted to by the common shelldrake (T. vulpanser ) 
for the purpose of breeding. On the next day the specimen 
came into the possession of T. W. Warren, Esq., in whose col- 
lection it now is. Its plumage indicates a male nearly adult. 
Three individuals only of this species have been procured in 
England — the first in 1776, the last in 1834 — and none in 
Scotland. The ruddy shelldrake rarely visits any part of western 
Europe; its abode on that continent being in the eastern parts. 
It is found extensively over Asia. 
* THE SHELLDRAKE. 
Shieldrake ; Burrow Duck. 
Tadorna milpanser, Leach. 
Anas tadorna , Linn. 
Is found around the coast, and is indigenous. 
But very few of these beautifully-marked birds now breed on the 
sandy coasts compared with what formerly did so. According 
to Harris’s 'Down’ (1744) : — "The shelldrake breeds in rabbit 
burroughs on the shores of this county, particularly about Killi- 
leagh and the south of the -barony of Lecale — whether or not 
it now frequents these localities is unknown to me ; the following 
notes relate to other parts of this county. When visiting the 
islands of Strangford Lough, in June 1832, I was told that 
"scale-drakes” bred annually on some of them, and imagined 
that this species might be meant ; but on cross-examination of 
my informants, I ascertained that the red-breasted merganser 
must be the bird so called. This was soon afterwards confirmed 
by one of these coming in sight, to which the name of scale- 
drake was applied. When visiting Dundrum in 1836, 1 was told 
that the shelldrake still breeds on the extensive marine sand-hills 
there. On the largest of the Copeland Islands they bred annu- 
ally until the beginning of the present century, when it became 
inhabited. The chief farmer there, in 1827, imagined that they 
