own Wild Geese it may be seen grazing in the fields upon all sorts of
vegetables; after the manner of Ducks it obtains nutriment from the mud
of shallow pools, and will even dive to the bottom of rivers in search
of what is there procurable. At certain seasons the young birds are
passionately fond of locusts, and neither old nor young have the slightest
objection to animal food; they do not, however, appear to eat fishes. It
may occasionally happen in places where no trees are to be met with that
these birds construct their nests upon the ground, but wherever there
are woods coming to the water's edge, or even single trees of suitable
dimensions, their nests must be looked for among the branches. In Africa
they generally select for this purpose the thorny mimosa, known among
the Arabs as the _Harahsi_. Their nest is very generally constructed of
branches derived from the tree itself, inter-mixed with smaller twigs, and
warmly lined with grasses.
The number of eggs, according to our own experience, varies from four
to six; our black hunters nevertheless asserted that they had taken
ten or twelve from a single nest. The eggs are of very round shape,
thick-shelled, smooth, and of a yellowish or greyish white colour. The
breeding-time of these birds varies according to the season. In Egypt
breeding commences about the beginning of September. From individuals kept
in confinement we have ascertained that the period of incubation extends
over twenty-seven or twenty-eight days, and that only the female sits
upon the eggs. During this period the Gander keeps careful watch, sitting
constantly close to his mate and giving timely warning of the approach of
any intruder. Once a day, and that always in the afternoon, the breeding
female leaves her nest, having previously covered her eggs warmly with
down. The young are able to run about immediately after leaving the egg,
and on the slightest alarm hurry at once into the water, where they
immediately dive; their education very much resembles that of the goslings
of the Grey Goose.
In Egypt the Nile Goose is much sought after both by Turks and Europeans.
Its flesh differs little as an article of food from that of the Wild
Geese; that of the young birds is excellent, but the old are hard and
tough, nevertheless they make capital soup.
* * * * *
The DWARF GEESE (_Nettapus_) form a distinct group, whose members occupy
South Asia, Africa, and Australia. These birds are characterised by their
small beak, which is high at the base, slopes gradually to the tip,
and is furnished with very short, broad denticulations; their wings are
abruptly rounded, and their tail composed of twelve feathers.
[Illustration: THE NILE GOOSE (_Chenalopex Ægyptiacus_). ONE-FOURTH
NATURAL SIZE.]
THE WHITE-BODIED GOOSE TEAL.
The WHITE-BODIED GOOSE TEAL (_Nettapus Coromandelianus_) is black on
the crown of the head, and of a magnificent green shaded with purple
over the entire mantle; the face, back of the head, neck, and under side
are pure white; the throat is partially encircled by a black band; the
feathers on the belly and the lower tail-covers are spotted with black
and white, those of the upper covers are greyish brown with light spots,
the tail-feathers blackish brown; the extremities of the primary quills
are spotted with white, the lower secondaries exhibit similar but smaller
spots, whilst the upper secondaries are marked with black; the eye is
red; the beak black; and the foot greenish brown; during the period of
incubation the latter is spotted with black. This small Goose is not more
than thirteen or fourteen inches long, the wing measures six inches and
a half, and the tail three and a quarter. In the plumage of the female
the brown is less conspicuous, and the mantle comparatively lustreless;
her quills are also without any white spots; the sides of the wings and
tail-covers are pale brown; the feathers on the nape are marked with dark
lines, those of the under side with dirty white, and the thighs with pale
grey. This most beautiful little Goose, according to Jerdon, "is met with
in India, as also in Ceylon, and on the Malay Peninsula. In some parts of
India it is very numerous, but is rare in the North-west Provinces. Its
favourite resorts are ponds covered with reeds and rich in grass, and upon
these it may sometimes be seen in numerous flocks." Its flight is rapid,
and when upon the wing it utters a loud peculiar cry. According to Blyth
it walks badly, and after making a few steps regularly squats down; hence
it is possible, or rather probable, that in a wild state it seldom comes
upon dry land. So long as it has not suffered persecution it is extremely
tame and trustful. It makes its nest in the cavity of some old hollow
tree, or occasionally in ruins or old walls, sometimes at a distance from
the water. The small eggs, which are eight, ten, or more in number, have
a white shell. The young are at first clad in a coat of thick grey down,
and almost immediately after their birth they are literally cast out of
the nest by their parents, who at once conduct them to the nearest pond.
We are told by one observer that only the female broods, while the Gander
amuses himself in the society of others of his own sex. Jerdon, however,
doubts this statement, or at least that such is always the case, basing
his scruples upon the fact that in more than one instance he has seen
both male and female fly together from the tree in which their nest was
situated. The flesh of these Geese is not much esteemed; nevertheless it
is said that at certain seasons it is tolerably good.
[Illustration: CEREOPSIS GEESE.]
THE CEREOPSIS GOOSE.
The CEREOPSIS GOOSE (_Cereopsis Novæ-Hollandiæ_) is recognisable by its
powerful body, thick short neck, small head, and short strong beak, which
is high at the base, and covered with a cere almost to the blunt and
hooked extremity. The webbed feet have long tarsi, short toes, and large
powerful claws. In the broad wings the shoulder-quills are well developed.
The tail is short and rounded; the thick plumage is of a beautiful dark
grey, shaded with brown. The crown of the head is somewhat lighter, and
the back decorated with round, blackish brown spots, situated at the tips
of some of the feathers. The lower halves of the secondary quills and
tail-feathers are also brownish black. The eye is scarlet, the beak black,
the cere greenish yellow, and the foot blackish. The female resembles
her mate in the coloration of her plumage, but is recognisable by her
inferior size. The Cereopsis Goose, the only member of the family to which
it belongs, is one of those extraordinary birds that at once arrest the
attention of the traveller. Not many years ago the localities where it was
the most numerous appear to have been the islands in Bass's Straits.
Labillardière relates that the first specimens he obtained were captured
by the sailors with their hands; and Flinders tells us that one of his
boat's crew killed a great number with short sticks, and took several
alive. Bailly not only confirmed these accounts, but states that those
he saw could be easily run in upon and captured without trouble. All the
above navigators speak of the flesh as being excellent, much better,
indeed, than that of European Geese, and seem to have prosecuted the chase
with considerable ardour. As a necessary consequence, later visitors
found not only that the bird was no longer plentiful, but that from many
of these islands it had been completely extirpated. Gould, who shot a
pair on Isabella Island, nevertheless thinks that several of them may yet
exist upon unvisited parts of the southern coast of Australia. "An old
Bushman," however, remarks that on the Australian continent he only saw
them twice--in one case there was a small flock, and in the other only
two birds, which were in company with some other Geese. The Cereopsis,
or "Hen" Goose, as it is called, lives, as might be expected from such
an appellation, much more on dry land than on the water. It walks well,
and swims badly; indeed, judging from individuals kept in our Zoological
Gardens, it seldom enters the water of its own free will. Its flight,
likewise, is performed with difficulty, and is remarkably heavy. Its
voice is a dull buzzing sound, very unlike the cry of a Goose. We have
but scanty information respecting the habits of these birds in their wild
state; but from their behaviour in captivity it is easy to form an idea of
their usual mode of life. In its aversion to water the Cereopsis differs
from all other Geese. Except when driven into a pond, it spends its
whole time on land, devoting the morning and evening to the procuration
of food, but reposing during the heat of the day and throughout the
night. It is seldom seen in company with other species; indeed, its
disposition is even more quarrelsome and imperious than that of the Nile
Goose. A pair of these birds, when placed among other water-fowl, begin
in a very short time to assume unlimited authority, and their behaviour
becomes (especially during the breeding season) absolutely insupportable.
Nevertheless, they soon learn to recognise their keepers, to whom they
exhibit considerable attachment. In New Holland they would long ago have
been numbered among the inhabitants of every farmyard had it not been for
this unbearable conduct. Such as have been brought to Europe have again
and again hatched and reared a numerous progeny, so that with us they
might readily be acclimatised. One principal obstacle to their breeding
in the north is the contrariety of the seasons. In Australia they breed
in the spring, which, of course, corresponds with our autumn; so that
in the northern hemisphere, the young brood, becoming at once exposed
to the rigours of winter, not unfrequently perish. We have, however,
already learnt that those birds that have lost their eggs breed again
in February, hence in the succeeding months there is every reason to
suppose the young may be reared without difficulty. During pairing time
the affection of the sexes towards each other is unmistakable. The Gander
walks around his mate with graceful salutations, keeps vigilant watch
over her safety, and resolutely drives away all other intruders, great
and small, that may happen to approach the domain which he has selected.
The care of constructing the nest appears to devolve upon the female,
who always selects the best materials within her reach; and, although
the result of her labours is not an artistically-constructed cradle, it
is considerably more so than the nests of the generality of Geese, its
interior being smoothly rounded and comfortably lined with feathers. The
eggs are comparatively small, somewhat round in shape, smooth-shelled, and
of a yellowish white colour. From observations made in Paris we found the
duration of incubation to extend over thirty days; in a colder climate it
is somewhat longer. In the park of our friend, M. Cornèly, in Belgium,
thirty-eight days elapsed before the young escaped from their shell.
On the very day of their escape they ran after their mother, picking
up food from among the grass. They refused to eat hard-boiled eggs,
chopped earthworms, and other kinds of animal food, and would not even
touch white bread, confining themselves exclusively, as it appeared, to
green vegetables. No sooner are the young hatched than the pugnacity of
the Gander displays itself in full force; he seems to fear nothing, and
attacks a man with as much animosity as he exhibits towards every other
animal that intrudes upon his privacy. "I considered my Gander bad enough
before," writes M. Cornèly, "but now I think he must be mad. He attacks
every living thing indiscriminately. One of my large Cranes happened to
come in his way; he flew at him, and although the keeper was not a hundred
yards off, and ran as fast as he could to part them, the poor Crane was
killed before he could interfere. One night the Gander got into the stable
where another of these birds was kept, and in the morning the body of the
Crane was found almost hacked to pieces." However ornamental these Geese
may be, it is evident that it is only where they have plenty of room to
themselves and are not likely to interfere with other animals, that they
are eligible subjects for domestication.
* * * * *
[Illustration: THE RUDDY SHELDRAKE, OR BRAHMINY DUCK (_Casarca rutila_).
ONE-FOURTH NATURAL SIZE.]
The DUCKS (_Anates_) constitute the most numerous and varied family of
the entire order, and are at once distinguishable from the Geese by the
flatness of their feet, and from the Swans by the shortness of their
necks. In these birds the body is short and broad, the neck short or
moderately long, and the head thick; the beak, which is about the same
length as the head, is either of uniform breadth, or is highest towards
the tip; the base of the bill is more or less high, and in some instances
furnished with an excrescence; the upper mandible is arched, and projects
so far over the sides of the lower one as partially to enclose it; the
margins of both mandibles are sharply denticulated; the weak flat foot,
which is placed very far back, has the centre toe as long as the tarsus;
the hind toe is well developed, and in some species furnished with a
membranous lobe; the claws are weak; in the moderate-sized, narrow, and
pointed wing the second quill is the longest; the short broad tail is
composed of from fourteen to twenty feathers, and is either rounded or
pointed at its extremity. The plumage, which is rich, smooth, and thickly
interspersed with down, varies in colour according to the sex or age of
the bird; that of the male is more or less brilliant, and that of the
female of comparatively sombre hue. The members of this family, regarded
generally, are to be met with in every climate; the number of species is,
however, greater in warm than in cold latitudes, while on the contrary in
northern regions individuals of the same species swarm in immense numbers.
Ducks frequent both fresh and salt water, being sometimes met with on
mountain lakes to a considerable elevation; at the approach of winter
they migrate to southern latitudes, often in incalculable hosts. In the
extent of their migrations some species emulate the Swallow itself, while
others wander no further than is absolutely necessary in order to obtain
food. These migrations are generally commenced at sunset; towards midnight
the birds alight upon some expanse of water, and after resting for a few
hours recommence their journey in the early morning. Their flight is
conducted either in one long string or in a wedge-like phalanx. The power
of locomotion displayed by these birds is very various; some species can
walk upon dry ground almost as well as the Geese, while others waddle
along with considerable difficulty. All are excellent swimmers, but they
only dive exceptionally, and with considerable effort. Their flight is
accomplished by rapid movements of their wings, and they are able to rise
as easily from the surface of the water as from the ground. Ducks subsist
upon both animal and vegetable food; some, however, prefer the former,
while others confine themselves to the latter diet. They are for the most
part monogamous, and generally associate during the breeding season in
great numbers; a circumstance in which they differ remarkably from the
Swans and Geese. Some build their nests in holes in the ground or in the
clefts of rocks; others in hollow trees, or even among the branches,
some making use of the deserted nests of land birds; while others build
upon the ground a rude structure composed of stalks and leaves, warmly
lined with down. The number of eggs varies in different species from
six to sixteen; the period of incubation extends from twenty-one to
twenty-four days.
[Illustration: _Plate 36. Cassell's Book of Birds_
CASARCA RUTILA ____ RUDDY SHIELDRAKE
(_about 1/3 Nat. size_)]
[Illustration: THE SHELDRAKE (_Vulpanser ladorna_). ONE-FOURTH NATURAL
SIZE.]
THE RUDDY SHELDRAKE, OR BRAHMINY DUCK.
The RUDDY SHELDRAKE, or BRAHMINY DUCK (_Casarca rutila_), represents
a group possessing slender bodies, moderate-sized wings, and somewhat
remarkably coloured plumage, which differs but little in the sexes. In
this species the body is almost entirely of a bright rust-red; the cheek
is yellowish white; the neck reddish yellow; the wing is decorated with
a glossy green patch, and has its covers of a pure white; the margins of
the wings, upper tail-covers, quills, and tail, are glossy greenish black.
During the breeding season the male has a clearly-defined band of greenish
black on the lower throat; the female rarely exhibits this collar, and is
smaller than her mate; her entire plumage is also less brightly coloured,
and her face of a whitish shade; the eye is light brown; the beak black;
and the foot lead-grey. This species is from twenty-four inches to
twenty-five inches long and forty-four inches broad; the wing measures
sixteen inches, and the tail seven inches. The Ruddy Sheldrakes inhabit
Central Asia, and from thence spread in an easterly direction to the Upper
Amoor, and westwards as far as Morocco. In the course of their wanderings
they are pretty regular visitants to Greece and South Italy. As winter
guests they are well known throughout the Indian Peninsula, and are by no
means uncommon upon the lakes of Egypt. In Tunis, Algiers, and Morocco
they are abundant, but do not apparently extend their range into the
interior of Africa. The gait of this beautiful bird is light and elegant;
it does not waddle as most Ducks do, but steps out like a Goose; it is an
excellent swimmer, and upon an emergency dives with facility. Its flight
is strong and enduring, and its voice loud, but by no means unpleasing.
Its food consists principally of vegetable materials; Jerdon, indeed,
says he has been told that it will sometimes eat carrion, but adds that
he has never seen it so employed, though he has often observed it feeding
in fields of corn. Until the approach of the breeding season the Brahminy
Ducks live very peaceably in company with other swimming birds, but about
that time they become very pugnacious and quarrelsome. Towards the end
of April or the beginning of May the different pairs retire to their
appropriate nesting-places, which are generally in holes in the ground.
In North-west Africa, Calvin found one of their nests in the cleft of a
perpendicular rock, which had likewise been the nesting-place of Robins,
Kites, and Vultures. In Siberia they not unfrequently build in the holes
of Siberian marmots, and occasionally in hollow trees. The nest, which
is composed of dry grass and lined with down, usually contains from four
to six roundish thin-shelled eggs, of a glossy white or yellowish white.
As soon as the young brood are sufficiently dry after their escape from
the shell they leap from the nest and make their way to the nearest pond,
where, under the careful superintendence of their parents, they pass the
earlier part of their lives. At first they are clad in a suit of down,
which is brownish grey upon the upper part of the body with the exception
of a whitish spot upon the breast; the lower surface is of a dirty white.
Pallas states that in Mongolia these birds are regarded as sacred.
* * * * *
The SHELDRAKES (_Vulpanser_) differ from the above birds in the formation
of their beak, the comparative shortness of their wings and legs, and
in the coloration of their plumage. In this group the upper mandible is
broadest towards its extremity, and in the male exhibits an excrescence
at its base, which swells considerably during the breeding season, and
afterwards almost entirely disappears.
THE COMMON SHELDRAKE.