110 LAKES AND RIVERS. 



throated divers crying on the surface of the loch, 

 two wild geese flying round, and an old eagle, with 

 its broad, white tail, slowly wafting its way between 

 me and the neighbouring mountain, whilst the great 

 nest was conspicuous from every side, made it 

 altogether as delicious a scene as I could hope often 

 to enjoy. I had not walked many paces when a 

 gray goose fluttered from between my feet into the 

 water, not looking at all a large bird, and not getting 

 up with any great commotion. There were at present 

 only two eggs in a nest made of old, withered grass, 

 like others which I afterwards saw." 



The Shieldrake (Tadorna Vulpanscr, sub-genus 

 Tadornd), usually a sea-shore duck, is sometimes, 

 however, found on the estuaries of rivers, lakes, and 

 pools ; it is 2 feet long, and 3^ feet in expanse 

 of wings, and weighs two pounds and a half to 

 three pounds. The feet and bill are reddish, the 

 head and neck are green, the lower part of the 

 neck and upper tail-coverts are white. There is a band 

 of fine red-brown on the breast, which forms a narrow 

 collar on the lower part of the neck. The female is 

 like the male in plumage ; it nestles in holes, where it 

 lays ten to fifteen eggs, of a cream-colour, larger than 

 those of the common duck. 



The Shoveller (Anas clypeata, sub-genus Rhyn- 

 chaspis) is easily distinguished from all other British 

 ducks by its shovel-shaped bill, and bright light blue 

 on the wings. It is much smaller than the Shieldrake, 

 and is excellent as an article of food, which is gene- 

 rally the case with ducks which, like it, live on fresh 

 water. Mr. Hewitson says, " Mr. John Hancock has 



