THE SHELDRAKE 311 



the Sheldrake flies high, and usually moves from one country 

 to another under the cover of nioht. 



o 



If the Sheldrake is a resident on the coast, the observer 

 will find that the bird changes its haunt a good deal with 

 the season. In some localities these birds are very rarely 

 seen during the winter, but make their appearance at the 

 breeding-places during the second week in March, quitting 

 them again as soon as the young can fly. The breeding 

 OTOunds of the Sheldrake are near the sea, either on the 

 mainland, or the low sandy islets near the shore. You may 

 find numbers of these beautiful birds breeding on Holy 

 Island and in the small sandy islets in the Firth of Forth. 

 Then, too, the bird is of frequent occurrence during the 

 breeding season amongst the sand-hills or "links" between 

 Holy Island and the little fishing -village of Sea-Houses. 

 Amongst these " links " the bird finds a secluded home, yet 

 from its shy and retirijig habits it is always liable to be 

 overlooked and thought to be nmch rarer than it really is. 

 The Sheldrake is comparatively an early breeder, nesting 

 duties commencing in the beginning of May. The birds 

 undoubtedly pair for life. At all seasons they fly in pairs, 

 like the Mallard, and I have cause to know that in some 

 cases at least the old nesting-place is annually tenanted. 

 They are not gregarious during the nesting season, each pair 

 living apart and comparatively isolated, even where the birds 

 are numerous. The site for the nest is always a covered one 

 — a burrow in the sand being the usual situation, and a 

 rabbit-hole is often chosen. Indeed, I very much doubt if 

 the Sheldrake ever excavates a hole for itself. Some of our 

 learned masters in ornithology would have us believe that 

 the Sheldrake often rears its young in holes made by badgers 

 and foxes, and that these poultry-loving animals share their 

 burrows with this duck. Could anything more improbable 

 be conceived ? But after all, continental foxes may not have 



