86 Mafiual of the Game Birds of India. 



body, only the tail and rump being visible. 

 On the land they walk with ease, like 

 a Goose. The Sheldrake resembles the 

 Geese in some of its habits, and frequents 

 the pastures, especially in early morning, 

 but not so much to feed upon grass as to 

 search for worms and slugs. 



"So far as is known the Sheldrake 

 never breeds in the open, but always in 

 a burrow^, generally in that of a rabbit, 

 but less frequently in that of a fox or a 

 badger ; and there are reliable instances 

 on record of their having hatched out 

 their young whilst the original owner 

 of the burrow was still in occupation. 

 Sometimes the birds excavate a burrow 

 for themselves, which is generally more 

 or less winding, and extends from six 

 to twelve feet, ending in a chamber, in 

 which the eggs are laid upon a handful 

 of dead grass and scraps of moss. Where 

 it is protected, the Sheldrake is an early 

 breeder, eggs being frequently laid before 

 the end of April ; but in localities where 

 it is disturbed, fresh ones may be found 

 as late as the end of May or the beginning 

 of June. Seven to twelve is the ordinary 

 number, but occasionally as many as six- 

 teen are laid ; and where the nests are 

 regularly robbed, as many as thirty have 



