74 BURROW SHIELDRAKE. 



and some parts of Asia, preferring the sea-coasts, and 

 never from choice quitting its marine haunts. It is 

 not uncommon on the British coasts, and remains 

 with us all the year. The female makes her nest, 

 and rears her young, under ground, in the rabbit- 

 holes which are made in the sand-hills near the sea- 

 shore : the nest is usually formed of the fine down 

 plucked from her breast : she lays ten or twelve 

 roundish white eggs, which are hatched in about 

 thirty days, the male assisting in the process of incu- 

 bation. Both sexes are very attentive to their young, 

 and are said to carry them from place to place in 

 their beaks, especially when the nest is situated at 

 some distance from the water : if they happen to be 

 interrupted during such times, the young are shel- 

 tered, and the parent birds fly off, and drop at a 

 short distance, trailing themselves along the ground, 

 and appear to struggle as if wounded, in order to 

 tempt a pursuit after them, and should they succeed, 

 they instantly return to their hapless charge. They 

 will sometimes breed with the Common Duck, and, 

 according to Montagu, bear confinement well, and 

 appear to enjoy perfect health, provided they are 

 allowed communication with a pond. Their prin- 

 cipal food consists of sea-weed, small shell-fish, ma 

 rine insects, and small fishes. 



