BRITAIN^S BIRDS AND THEIR NESTS. 149 



and the central Highlands to Sutherlandshire. The haunts 

 are mostly fresh water at this season, and even in winter 

 it shows partiality for rivers and lakes, although also 

 found in tidal waters. In winter it is more widely 

 distributed, but is infrequent in Ireland and Wales and 

 the south of England, and it is always rare in the out- 

 lying Scottish isles. On the eastern side of Great Britain 

 it is commoner than its smaller ally. This it resembles 

 in general and nesting habits. The eggs, from eight to 

 thirteen in number, are of a creamy or huffish tint, and the 

 down is a characteristic grayish white. 



THE SHELD=DUCK, OR SHELDRAKE 



(Tadorna cornuta). 

 Plate 49. 



The Sheld-Ducks are again a small group by themselves, 

 forming, in fact, a link between the true Ducks and the 

 Geese. They are amongst the commonest birds kept on 

 ornamental waters, and the few exotic species are freely 

 imported into this country, and are sometimes obtained 

 as t' escapes.' One of them, the Ruddy Sheld-Duck, is 

 also a rare natural visitor to the British Isles. The 

 Common Sheld-Duck, or Sheldrake, however, is an in- 

 digenous species, and is comparatively common in suitable 

 localities, especially on the east of Scotland. 



These localities are the dune-lands and other expanses 

 of waste ground that are to be foimd round the low-lying 

 portions of our coast-line. There, if not persistently 

 robbed of its eggs, it may be found in something of the 

 natui'e of colonies — many pairs nesting within a small 

 area, and often massing into flocks when feeding or 

 resting in the open. At low tide they may be seen 



