72 The PVater-fowl Family 



ducks are not uncommon on the bays of the 

 coast in the migrations and in winter, usually in 

 small flocks, and associating to some extent with 

 the sea-ducks. They feed in shallow water, not 

 diving, but thrusting their head and neck to the 

 bottom, and tipping up the body, while they tear 

 off the stems of the water plants which are their 

 chief subsistence. Their flesh is sweet and pala- 

 table almost without exception, although if they 

 are forced to a diet consisting largely of shellfish 

 and Crustacea, it may become rank. The females 

 perform all the duties of incubation and care for 

 the young when they are hatched, but in many 

 species the male takes much interest in his family. 

 Some of the most interesting and beautiful mem- 

 bers of the water-fowl belong in this group, such 

 as the mandarin duck of Asia, the shoveller, with 

 a long and spoon-shaped bill with the lateral 

 strainers remarkably developed, and the pintail, 

 with the middle tail feathers very long. Most 

 breed on the ground near the water, but some, as 

 the wood-duck, nest in hollow trees, and the true 

 sheldrakes in holes in banks. This latter fact is 

 taken advantage of by the inhabitants of parts of 

 Denmark, who dig artificial burrows for the shel- 

 drakes, sometimes with several laying compart- 

 ments radiating from a single entrance. Each 

 breeding-chamber is covered with a tightly fitting 

 piece of sod, and through this opening the fresh 



