2fi TADOKNA VILP.\NSER. 



Habits. — This very beautiful hird, ^vliieli is permanently 

 resident in Britain, is met ■with sparingly along our coasts, in 

 most places suitable to its habits, from the south of England 

 to the Shetland Islands on one side, and the Northern Hebrides 

 on the other. On the Avest coast of the latter, Avhcre there is 

 much sand, it is not uncommon in spring and summer, Avhen 

 it resorts to the shallow fords and bays ; but in autumn dis- 

 appears. At that season, ho-\vever, and in winter, it is met 

 Avith in the eastern and southern parts of Scotland as well as 

 in England, in both which countries many individuals remain 

 to breed. It seems to continue in pairs all the year round, 

 although frequently i)i winter and spring large flocks may be 

 seen, in which the families are intermingled. I have never 

 met with it inland, or in fresh water near the coast ; but have 

 seen it feeding in wet pastures near the sea, although more 

 frequently on wet sands, and am unable, from my own obser- 

 vation, to say of what its food consists. Various authors 

 allege that it feeds on shell-fish and marine plants ; but 

 this, judging from the structure of its bill and its general 

 appearance, I felt inclined to doubt, until I met with 

 INIr. Thompson's statement. It Avalks with ease, in the 

 manner of the Wild Geese, but with quicker steps, and flies 

 with speed, in the manner of the Mallard and other Ducks, 

 with more rapid beats of the wings than the Geese. In 

 spring, and the early part of summer, it has a habit of erect- 

 ing itself, thrusting forward its neck, and shaking its head, 

 as if endeavouring to SAvallow or get rid of something too 

 wide for its gullet ; but this appears to be merely an act of 

 attention to the female. Being shy and vigilant, and fre- 

 quenting open places, it is not easily approached, unless 

 Avhen breeding. 



The nest is always placed in a hole in the sand, or sandy 

 pasture near the shore. In places where there are rabbits, it 

 selects a deserted burrow, wliich it enlarges ; but I have 

 known it to breed in an island on which there were no other 

 quadrupeds than seals, and still the nest was in a burrow, 

 Avhich it must have made for itself. ]3esides dry grass and 

 other herbage, it employs the down plucked from its own 

 breast in constructing its nest. The eggs, from eight to 



