190 BRITISH SEAT SIRDS: 
is black), part of the secondaries and innermost a 
scapulars, the wing coverts, the sides of the belly — 
and the flanks, are white; the remainder of the 
wings and outermost scapulars, and a broad line 
from the breast to the vent are black; the alar specu- 
lum is green; the tarsus and feet are pink. Ata 
distance the bird looks like a patchwork arrange- 
ment of black, white, and red, which becomes even 
more pronounced when it takes flight, and in a slow, 
Heron-like way, with measured beats of the wings, 
passes out to sea, or down the coast to more 
secluded haunts. During the breeding season, this 
Duck frequents the sand dunes on the English 
coast, but is rare and local in the south; in Scot- 
land it is commoner, and may be met with in almost 
all places suited to its requirements, including the 
Hebrides. In Ireland, however, it becomes local 
and uncommon, although widely dispersed. When 
the young are reared the bird becomes more widely — 
distributed, but even then its preference for the — 
sand makes it still local. The Sheldrake is known 
by many provincial names, among which may be 
mentioned ‘Burrow Duck,” “Bergander,” and 
“ Shell-duck.” The origin of this Duck’s colloquial 
name is somewhat obscure, although Willughby © 
and Ray attribute it to the bird’s strongly-con- 
trasted plumage—“sheld” being the East Anglian 
equivalent for parti-coloured.* The Old Norse name 
* Ray, English Words, p. 74. 
