474A BIRDS OF SOMERSETSHIRE. 
year, being still of a dusky horn-colour, with a 
slight pinkish or reddish tinge, and he adds there is 
little prospect of its assuming the bright orange 
colour this (its second) year. He could not, how- 
ever, complete his observations, as the Cygnet 
escaped in the next April; the beak had not then, 
however, completely acquired its colour, as it was 
mostly of a pinkish colour, with little appearance of 
orange. 
The eggs are of a uniform dull greenish white. 
SHELLDRAKE or Burrow Duck, Tadorna vul- 
panser. This beautiful Duck is resident and com- 
mon on the greater part of our coast, breeding in 
the rabbit-holes amongst the sand-hills, which reach 
almost from Burnham to Weston-super-Mare, and 
on the cliffs at Brean Down, and probably at other 
places both on this and the other side of the Bristol 
Channel: besides Somersetshire, the Burrow Duck 
breeds in many other counties in England which are 
suited to its habits. 
These birds collect in considerable numbers at 
their various breeding stations, from about May till 
July or August, after which time they become more 
scarce in that immediate locality, imitating in this 
respect many of the Gulls, but they are still to be 
found spread over the great expanse of mud and 
shallow water in the Bristol Channel throughout the 
year. On the wing this is a beautiful bird, flying 
more easily and lightly than any of the other Ducks; 
