224 THE SHELDUCK AND SURFACE-FEEDING DUCKS 



male utters an occasional and curious croak, not unlike the cry of the 

 raven. They float high on the water when swimming, and procure 

 such food as they need from beneath the surface of the water by 

 that curious half-dive so characteristic of the surface-feeding ducks. 



Of its courting habits almost the only records are those of Mr. 

 J. Gr. Millais, who tells us that the drake swims about all day uttering 

 a most unducklike croak, and "showing off" in a modest way before 

 his prospective mate. But in all his actions at this time he displays 

 a somewhat phlegmatic and self-possessed disposition. At times 

 several males will pay advances to the same female, but there is no 

 squabbling, no animosity or jealousy displayed. At most they swim 

 round and round her, merely raising the feathers of the. neck and 

 crown, which, it will be remarked, are somewhat soberly coloured : 

 occasionally one will quickly jerk its beak, mallard fashion, and raise 

 its tail after the fashion of the pintail ; but there is no apparent 

 enthusiasm. 



Having regard to his behaviour during the period of courtship, 

 one is not surprised to find he displays no interest in the welfare of 

 his offspring, the female being left to brood the eggs and rear the 

 young as best she may. She is apparently not the most discreet of 

 mothers, for she will often elect to build her nest in a wood, and 

 numbers of sitting birds, on this account, are snapped up by foxes. 



While the duck is sitting, the drake is undergoing his annual 

 " eclipse " moult, which, by the way, he often begins to assume very 

 early, so that he is in full eclipse dress even before the end of May. 

 Not until the young are fledged does the female start her autumn 

 moult. 



As touching the eclipse dress, nothing need here be said, for it 

 has been sufficiently described in the introductory notes. 



