246 BRITISH BIRDS' NESTS. 



SHELDRAKE. Also Common Sheldrake or 

 BuEEow Duck. 



Description of Parent Birds. — Length twenty- 

 four to twenty-six inches ; bill fairly long, thick 

 at the base, depressed in the middle, slight^ 

 hooked at the tijD, and red in colour. On the 

 top of the upper mandible, at the base, is a "large 

 fleshy knob. Irides reddish-brown. Head and 

 upper parts of neck dark green ; lower half of 

 neck white all round ; upper parts of breast and 

 back, rump, wing, and uj^per tail-coverts white ; 

 scapulars and a portion of secondaries blackish ; 

 outer webs of inner secondaries rich chestnut. 

 On the last-named feathers is a patch of rich 

 purple green ; primaries almost black ; tail-quills 

 white, except at the tips where they are black ; 

 in the middle of the lower breast and bell}" the 

 feathers are dark brown ; sides, flanks, vent, and 

 low^er tail-coverts white ; legs, toes, and webs 

 flesh-colour. 



The female is rather smaller and duller in colour. 

 Situation and Localitij. — Eabbit burrows are the 

 favourite haunts of this bird, although it is said 

 sometimes to dig its own burrow or adopt that of 

 a fox or badger ; holes under rocks and ruins at 

 various depths, sometimes four or five feet in, at 

 others as many as twelve. In low sand-hills and 

 dunes at various suitable places on the east and 

 west coasts, such as Suffolk, Norfolk, Lincolnshire, 

 Yorkshire, Durham, Northumberland, Lancashire, 

 and Cheshire ; on various parts of the coast of 

 Scotland, Orkney Islands, Hebrides, and Ireland. 

 Our illustration w^as obtained in the Hebrides. 

 Materials. — Dry grass, bents, and down from 



