BRITISH BIRDS. 
341 
SHIELDRAKE. 
SHELDRAKE, SKELDRAKE, OR BURROUGH DUCK. 
i^Anas tadorna, Lin. — LaTadorne,) 
I The male of this prettily marked fpecies is fome- 
what larger than the Mallard, meafuring about two 
feet in length, three and a half in breadth, and 
weighing commonly two pounds ten ounces. The 
bill is red, with the nail and nohrils black : the up- 
per mandible is broad, flat, and grooved on the 
edges towards the point, where it has rather a call 
upwards ; it is alfo deprefled in the middle, and 
raifed into a knob or tubercle at the bafe. The 
head, and upper part of the neck, are of a glofly 
dark or bottle green : the lower part of the neck, 
to the breafl:, is encircled with white, and joined by 
