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The drake is larger than his mate, and though very similar

in plumage, his note is altogether different. This is very

difficult to describe, but sounds like a low squeaky chattering

whistle, if such a noise can be imagined, and is apparently

uttered with some exertion, as it is usually accompanied by a

curious bowing movement of the head, as though the bird were

pumping up the sound with much labour. The note of the

female is either a harsh long-drawn bark or a chattering quack,

which, when heard at a distance, has some resemblance to the

harsh cry of the Peregrine Falcon.


I well remember the first Sheld-duck’s nest I found. It

was early in the month of June, and I was at the time very eager

to get some eggs of this species to add to my collection. I had

often before been unsuccessful, but on this day fortune favoured

me, for while I was burrowing my way through nettles and

prickly shrubs, I came upon a ‘ run ’ in a very thick privet bush,

which I knew had been used by a duck owing to the presence of

some of the lavender-coloured down from the bird’s body.

Following up this ‘ run’ I soon came upon a female Sheld-duck

sitting in a little hollow from which she could not escape except

by passing me. This she would not do, so I caught her, and

after admiring her plumage, let her go, whereupon she flew out

to sea with much quacking. The nest consisted of a mass of

down plucked from the bird’s body, mixed up with bits of stick

and dry grass, and contained sixteen eggs of a creamy colour,

piled one on the other so as to occupy less space. Two of these

I took away, and they were nearly fresh, having been sat on fora

day or two only, but the bird had evidently laid her full com¬

plement. This is perhaps rather above the average number of

eggs for this species to lay.


Since that day I have found many Sheld-ducks’ nests in

a variety of situations, such as deep down in rabbit-burrows, in

crevices of the cliffs, and under thick bushes. One nest that I

saw, last year, was placed in a bed of nettles, and the eggs could

easily be seen from above without touching the surroundings.

Such a site however I regard as quite exceptional, and the

commonest situation for the nest is deep down in some rabbit-

burrow. The young are hatched about the middle of June, but

the date varies with the season, and are immediately taken by

their parents to the sea, where very often several broods may be

seen swimming together. The young are active little creatures,

and scatter in all directions if alarmed. I have never been

fortunate enough to see the parents taking their young to the sea,



