# File lib/aws/record/abstract_base.rb, line 50
        def initialize attributes = {}

          attributes = attributes.dup

          # supporting :domain for backwards compatability, :shard is prefered
          @_shard = attributes.delete(:domain)
          @_shard ||= attributes.delete('domain')
          @_shard ||= attributes.delete(:shard)
          @_shard ||= attributes.delete('shard')
          @_shard = self.class.shard_name(@_shard)

          @_data = {}
          assign_default_values
          bulk_assign(attributes)

        end