WILDFOWL AND WILDFOWLING 
100 yards’ distance. No garganey, however, will ever rejoice the sight 
of British wildfowler, since it is here only a summer migrant, arriving — 
if at all — long after all shooting is over. Even in southern Spain it only 
appears towards March. 
Sheld-ducks are sometimes found in company with mallards, and, though 
less sought after, are usually wilder, and thus give notice of danger to 
the more highly prized fowl. The pure white plumage of the sheld-ducks 
is peculiarly bright and glossy, easily distinguishable from gulls far beyond 
the range at which their black heads become visible. But, like gulls, swans, 
and all white -plumaged birds, sheld-ducks in certain lights, or when viewed 
against the light, show up quite dark; and in such case, by their figures, 
are not unlikely to be mistaken for brent geese. Similarly, small gulls 
sleeping afloat on a grey day often closely resemble wigeon or duck. The 
spyglass, however, in all such cases, will undeceive while yet many 
hundreds of yards away. Gulls floating at a distance may always be 
known by their buoyant carriage, their sterns sticking up as high as their 
heads. 
Although the common sheld-duck is one of the most conspicuously coloured 
birds we possess — (catching one’s eye afar under all conditions save only 
that of floating ice) — ^yet its one European relative, the Ruddy sheld-duck, 
is, while quiescent, almost unicolourous — a monotone in chestnuts, most 
difficult to depict in black and white. Despite that fact, the latter is never- 
theless quite a conspicuous object in the marsh-girt landscape. For its 
colours are not only bright in hue, but possess a lustrous sheen that catches 
the light, while its paler head contrasts with every surrounding. 
It is necessary, however, to emphasize the quiescent pose; since the 
moment those broad goose -like pinions are spread, there flashes into 
view a surprising revelation in sharply contrasted hues. Half the big wing 
is then seen to be of purest aggressive white, set off by gleaming black 
quills, black tail, and black tail -coverts, with a huge speculum of 
iridescent bronze-green. All these startling contrasts had, till that 
moment, been concealed beneath overlapping coverts and flank -feathers. 
The result is a regular transformation scene. 
To witness such spectacles, however, one must travel 1,000 miles 
southwards; for the Ruddy sheld-duck is only technically a British bird. 
Both in style of flight and in every attitude and pose, the sheld-ducks 
are obviously a link between the ducks and the geese. 
The foregoing remarks have all applied exclusively to that group which 
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