112 BIRDS OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE. 



of body white ; tail slightly tipped with black ; legs and 

 feet yellowish red. Female much like the male, but the 

 knob at the base of the u[)per mandible not so prominent. 

 Length, from 2 feet to 2 feet 2 inches. 



This species occurs, but sparingly, in the north of Ireland 

 and Scotland, as well as in the Scottish Isles, but only as a 

 straggler occasionally in England. They are found in 

 pairs, and are resident. 



The food of the sheldrake consists of marine vegetables, 

 Crustacea, molluscs, etc., but they will also eat corn and 

 vegetable seeds when their more relished diet cannot be 

 had. 



They are handsome birds, walking, swimming, and fl}'- 

 ing in an easy and graceful manner. They nest in old 

 rabbit-burrows, sometimes at a considerable distance from 

 the surface. Both sexes share the task of incubation. 

 The eggs are from nine to twelve in number, white, with a 

 faint greenish tinge, and very smooth and shining. 



They are easily reared in captivity if the eggs are pro- 

 cured and hatched by a hen or a common duck, although 

 their natural home is in the vicinity of the sea. 



These handsome birds are devoted to their young, and 

 will feign lameness to draw off an intruder. Occasionally 

 they breed among themselves in confinement. 



lluDDY Sheldrake. — Bill black, and destitute of knob ; 

 head and neck to middle ruddy buff; a narrow black ring 

 separates the neck from the breast ; and the tail, its upper 

 coverts, and the primaries are black ; greater and less wing 

 coverts white, with a faint tinge of buff; the outer webs 

 of the secondaries rich bronzed green ; the rest of the 

 plumage orange brown, with a golden j'ellow sub-tinge ; 

 legs and feet dark greyish black. 



The ruddy sheldrake is of rare occurrence in Britain, and 

 seldom breeds hero. 



