214 THE SHELDUCK AND SURFACE-FEEDING DUCKS 



they are peculiar, in the first place, on account of their coloration, 

 which betrays but little evidence of the earlier striped livery which 

 must have been worn during bygone ages ; and in the second, for the 

 infinitely slow development of the wings, wherein they differ con- 

 spicuously from the nidifugous young of Gallinaceous birds. In the 

 latter the remiges are developed within a few hours of birth, and long 

 before the appearance of contour feathers. In the Ducks, on the 

 other hand, the quill feathers do not make their appearance until 

 after the rest of the body is fledged, and these differences seem to be 

 intimately associated with the conditions of existence. In the one 

 case a limited power of flight has been prematurely developed, owing 

 to the necessity of finding escape from the numerous enemies which 

 lurk in dry covert ; in the other, escape is found by taking to the 

 water, and on this account the development of the contour feathers 

 of the trunk is more important than those of the wings, and this 

 because they afford a better protection than down, being more 

 resistant to water. 



THE SHELDRAKE 

 [W. P. PYCRAFT] 



The sheldrake, though not in its habits so much a water surface- 

 feeding Duck as a shore bird, may properly be classed with the 

 surface-feeders by virtue of the structural similarities above men- 

 tioned. It is one of the handsomest and most strikingly coloured 

 of the Ducks. It is also one of the most interesting. In the first 

 place, it represents one of the annectant links with the Geese. 

 It also commands attention from the fact that the two sexes are 

 practically alike and brilliantly coloured, while the offspring have a 

 distinct livery, though differing less markedly perhaps from the 

 adult than is the rule in such cases. 



While the surface-feeding Ducks for the most part haunt inland 



