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As far as I could see from a distance he was a dull edition of the

old birds, the ring clearly marked, and the red patch on the

forehead, the whole colouring olive green in different shades, as

compared to the beautiful emerald shades in the parent birds, but

the tips of the two long feathers in the tail were quite white.

The next day another appeared, exactly like the first, perhaps a

shade brighter in colouring, and he took up his position next the

first, at the top of the aviary, clinging with his beak and quite

motionless.


They soon improved in their flying and perching, and

were adopted (when the parents were not looking) by the Mealy

Rosella who fed them industriously. If he was seen he was

immediately chased away by the old birds, but at any rate this

proved he had no evil intention. They are now (July 8th) nearly

as bigas the old birds, but as dull in colouring as ever, and are

very sober editions of their lovely parents. They feed them¬

selves, and the old birds are investigating their old tree-hole

again, I hope with further nesting intentions.



RAMBLES AMONG THE WILD BIRDS (No. I.)


By the Rev. F. E. Blathwayt.


THE COMMON SHELD-DUCK (Tadorna cornula).


“ There is a pleasure in the pathless woods ;


There is a rapture on the lonely shore;


There is society, where none intrudes,


By the deep sea, and music in its roar.”


Among all the species of the duck tribe which visit or

reside in the British Islands, the Sheld-duck is perhaps the

handsomest and the most conspicuous. The sexes are much

alike in plumage, but the male bird is larger and his colouring

rather brighter than that of his mate. The striking contrasts of

dark green, white and rich chestnut in his plumage are well

known to many of us, and it is probable that he gets the prefix

‘ Slield ’ to his name from an East Anglian word, signifying pied

or parti-coloured.


Those of us who have lived by the sea, where the coast is

low and sandy with a fringe of sand hills, and where at low tide

the sea retires almost out of sight, leaving bare stretches of mud¬

flats, are probably familiar with this interesting bird, Such are

the localities he loves to haunt; and in just such a locality in the

West Country have I often met with him during my rambles

among the birds, and so will try to describe some of his habits



