216 THE SHELDUCR AND SURFACE-FEEDING DUCKS 



particularly so, as in the case of the mallard. Every now and then 

 she will utter what Mr. Abel Chapman calls "a long-drawn, rever- 

 berating bark," and occasionally this is accompanied by half a dozen 

 distinct quacks. The note of the drake is quite different a peculiar 

 sibilant noise, half-squeak, half-whistle, usually quite low and gentle, 

 but sometimes tuned so as to become sharp and ringing. But 

 what is still more curious about this cry is the fact that at the 

 time it is uttered the beak is closed, apparently tightly ; sometimes 

 indeed, Mr Chapman tells us, the bird seems to be feeding at the 

 veiy moment. The wigeon-drake, on the other hand, opens his beak 

 wide before commencing his " pipe " and closes it during the note. 



At the pairing season, according to Seebohm, the male develops 

 a special call, which takes the form of a clear, rapidly repeated 

 whistle or trill ; but whether, as is probable, this is accompanied by 

 any peculiar display there seem to be no records to show. Inasmuch 

 as both sexes are coloured alike, we should expect to find a similar 

 display by both sexes. 



The sheldrake, as everybody knows, differs from all the other 

 Anatidse in that it breeds, with rare exceptions (see "Classified 

 Notes"), in a burrow. As a rule rabbit-burrows are selected, and 

 it would seem that occasionally the rightful owners are evicted to 

 provide the desired nursery. At any rate, on one occasion Sir Ralph 

 Payne-Gallwey saw a female haul a young rabbit out of a burrow by 

 its ear. 1 On occasion badger and fox earths are used ; as also are 

 natural crevices on rocky coasts. But when ready-made nurseries 

 are not to be had the birds will dig one for themselves, and the 

 work of tunnelling is believed to fall entirely on the female. This 

 must be no mean task, since the brood-chamber may be as much as 

 12 feet from the entrance of the burrow. One would have imagined 

 that for tunnelling on this scale beak and feet more adapted for 

 the purpose would have been necessary. But the sand-martin 

 and the bee-eater are, if possible, even less suitably equipped. 



. ' C. J. Patten, Aquatic Birds of Great Britain and Ireland, p. 86. 



